St. Clair County Obits

RICHARD M. DUKES

ST. CLAIR COURIER
FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 2008

RICHARD MARLOWE DUKES.

Richard M. Dukes passed away at home with his loving family at his side on Aug. 1, 2008. Richard was born to Glenn and Harry Dukes on September 4, 1918 in Osceola where he was reared and educated, graduating from Osceola High School. He served our country in the United States Army Air Corps and later in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and the Korean War, as a crew chief for the aircraft he was assigned. In 1939 he started work at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo and retired in 1975, after 36 years.

Richard married Ruth Rice of Osceola in 1940 and he and Ruth built their home themselves in Napa in the early 1950's and raised their two daughters, Marsha and Barbara in that house.

He also graduated from Napa college with an AA Degree. He was active in the First United Methodist Church in Napa, where he worked with MYF and the Building and Grounds Committee.

He was an active memter of the Democratic Central Committee in Napa for many years and was named "Napa Valley Democrat of the Year." One of his proudest achievements was being a delegate to the Democratic National Convention held in San Francisco.

Rich would have celebrated his 90th birthday in September and he and Ruth will celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary the same month.

Richard is survived by his wife,Ruth, daughters Marsha Nygren of Eugene, Oregon and Barbard Kadar of Irvine, California; sons-in-law Dale Nygren and bence Kadar; sister Betty Perkins, Osceola and a brother Jack Dukes, Tustin, California; grandchildren Michael Flitcroft of San Francisco; Lisa andStephen Pursley of Eugene, Oregon and brian Kadar of Irvine, California and great-grandsson Shad Orange of Merced.

Graveside services were Friday, August 8, 2008 at Tulocay Cemetery, Napa, California.