R. J. "Duke" Short

1934 - 2023

R. J. "Duke" Short
March 31, 1934 - August 11, 2023
Chesnee, South Carolina - On August 11, 2023, Robert James "Duke" Short passed peacefully from this life to heaven in the arms of his loving wife. The elder son of Ernest A. and Eloise F. Short Strom, Duke was born in Moultrie, Georgia on March 31, 1934 and raised in Atlanta. He moved to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in the 1970s, and in recent years enjoyed sharing his time between Alexandria, Virginia and his adopted hometown of Chesnee, South Carolina, where he passed away.
Duke lived a rich and multi-faceted life that took him from the small-town South to the corridors of power on Capitol Hill. But he never lost his humility, his integrity, his marvelous sense of humor, or his respect and compassion for others regardless of station. He was a true gentleman, a man of his word and a gifted leader. Duke was a Christian with a renewed faith and closeness in his relationship with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He sought the highest good for all involved throughout his many years of service to his community, state, and nation.
A 1952 graduate of Avondale High School in Atlanta, Duke remained close with many of his former classmates. He fondly remembered his college years as well, attending many reunions with his classmates from North Georgia Military College, where he was a member of Scabbard and Blade and served as president of Sigma Theta fraternity. Upon graduation, Duke earned both his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and his commission as a Second Lieutenant. He went on to serve with distinction as a Second Lieutenant in the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division.
After being honorably discharged from the Army, Duke continued his public service as a Special Agent with the Intelligence Division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury for two years before leaving to earn a Doctor of Chiropractic from Palmer College in 1965. He then returned to the Treasury Department, working as a Special Agent on the Organized Crime Strike Force and as one of the nation's first Sky Marshals before becoming National Chief of Investigations for the Federal Protective Service in the early 1970s.
Duke began a distinguished career with the U.S. Senate in 1974 as a Senior Investigator for the Subcommittee on Internal Security, eventually becoming Staff Director and Chief Investigator for the Committee on the Judiciary, chaired at the time by Senator Strom Thurmond. In 1988, Thurmond appointed Duke as his chief of staff, a role he would fill throughout the senator's tenure as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and until Thurmond's retirement in 2003 at the age of 100.
Handsome, genial, and a gifted raconteur who never lacked for a good story, Duke was a far cry from the bland persona one might expect from a high-ranking Congressional staff member. He loved country music and wore cowboy boots with his expensive suits. He was an unabashed patriot who took great pride in his military and law enforcement background and was liable to pull out a badge or show you his ankle holster with little prompting.
Ebullient personality aside, Duke was a humble person at his core. He was genuinely interested in others, and had a gift for connecting with people from all walks of life, which made him a pleasure to know and served him well in every facet of his career. And although he was known by many in the Capitol as the "101st Senator," he never sought personal recognition and understood exactly where the power lay. He was also a brilliant strategist and tactician, whose down-home persona sometimes lulled others into underestimating his intellect – a mistake no one made twice.
As both a committee investigator and the senator's chief of staff, Duke played a key part in countless matters of national importance. He helped shape the federal judiciary for nearly three decades and was an active participant in the confirmations of a dozen Supreme Court justices and the elevation of Justice Rehnquist to Chief Justice of the United States. Additionally, as chief of staff, Duke carried out Senator Thurmond's determination to confirm over 400 federal judges during his tenure.
In addition to being Senator Thurmond's closest and most trusted advisor, Duke was well-liked and respected by senators on both sides of the aisle, making him an effective advocate for the senator's legislative goals. And he shared the senator's commitment to providing exceptional constituent service.
Whether the staff was assisting an impoverished veteran, helping a constituent navigate a Social Security claim or aiding a distressed farmer, Duke could be counted on to help if they encountered a roadblock. He often picked up the phone or called upon his network of contacts to aid a South Carolinian in trouble, regardless of their party affiliation or influence.
He was also a respected and effective leader, who demanded excellence and dedication from the senator's staff but in return was generous with his knowledge and unstintingly loyal. Once earned, his friendship and support never wavered. He loved his staff family, and deeply appreciated all those who continued to stay in touch over the years.
Duke thoroughly enjoyed his work and derived great satisfaction from his service. But from the moment they met, his greatest joy was the love of his life, Denise "Dee" Powers, whom he affectionately called "Bear." The two married on May 23, 1992 and celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary in May 2023. Duke adored Dee and became a favorite and well-loved member of her extended family, who will miss him dearly.
In 2008, Duke published a book about his years with Senator Thurmond: "The Centennial Senator: True Stories of Strom Thurmond from the People Who Knew Him Best." With a foreword by the late Senator Bob Dole, it is an insightful collection of anecdotes from contributors including presidents – Joe Biden, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and Gerald Ford – governors, including former South Carolina Governor James B. Edwards, and other well-known figures such as Justices Clarence Thomas and Sandra Day O'Connor, Senators Jesse Helms, Trent Lott, Alan Simpson, and many others.
During his long and distinguished career, Duke's service to South Carolina and the nation earned him recognition from a number of organizations and institutions. Governor James Hodges of South Carolina presented him with the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina's highest civilian honor; the South Carolina General Assembly honored him with a resolution on his 89th birthday, and he was named one of Roll Call's "Fifty Most Powerful Staffers in Congress" for ten years in succession.
In addition, the USO (United Service Organization) presented Duke with its Appreciation Award, he was named a Fellow of the Palmer Academy of Chiropractic, and he was presented with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Appreciation Award. His titles of distinction included Counselor to the Chief Judge of the United States Court of Military Appeals, Honorary Federal Judge of the United States Claims Court, and Honorary Major General in the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers.
He was a member of the Association of Federal Investigators, the Combined Law Enforcement Intelligence Group, the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, the Treasury Agents Association, the U.S. Marshals Foundation, the National Advisory Council, the International Chiropractic Association, the Chiropractic Associations of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, and the Asia Pacific Exchange Foundation advisory board. He was also a longtime supporter of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Duke was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Coy Ashford Short and wife Judy. He is survived by his beloved wife, soulmate and eternal love, Denise "Dee" Short; his children, Sydne Klonoski (Frank), Robert Junior "Bo" Short (Roni), and Coy Barefoot; and what he called his "bonus family" – bonus brothers Rocky, Jordan, and Javon Robinson, Chris West, and Robbie Callaway and bonus sisters Christine Humphries, Debby Robinson, Linda Robinson, Kaye West, and Linda Hollifield.
He is also survived by seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren, along with special nephews Greg Short (Rhonda), David Humphries, Casey and Riley Robinson, and Luis Aguilar, and special nieces Karen Short Martin (Tom), Christie Humphries Aguilar, and a very special great-niece who was the apple of his eye, Robin Aguilar, whom he lovingly called his Mexicali Rose. He will be dearly missed by all in his circle, including countless friends and former colleagues, and widely remembered with the greatest love and respect.
Services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 19 at Boiling Springs First Baptist Church, 3600 Boiling Springs Rd., Boiling Springs, SC 29316. A graveside service with full military honors will follow at Springhill Memorial Gardens, 1011 S. Alabama Ave. Chesnee, SC 29323. Attendees are cordially invited to a celebration of life and reception at 5:00 p.m. at the Piedmont Club, 361 E. Main St, Spartanburg, SC 29302.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Fisher House Foundation (www.fisherhouse.org), the Spartanburg Humane Society (150 Dexter Rd. Spartanburg, SC 29303), or Kids, Inc. (c/o Mrs. Kelly Sardello: 119 Churchhill Ct., Loveland, OH 45140). Arrangements by Blakely Funeral Home of Gaffney.
An online guest register is available at www.blakelyfuneralhome.com