James Samuel Duke

Jim passed away peacefully on May 27, 2019 in Dixon, CA surrounded by his family. He was born on July 15, 1942 in Poplar Bluff, MO and named for his grandfathers, James William Duke and Samuel Burton Mizell.

Jim came to Santa Rosa at the age of 7 and attended Wright School Elementary. He was a 1960 graduate of Santa Rosa High School. Before enlisting in the U.S. Coast Guard, Jim attended the Maritime Academy in Vallejo. He was in Air Sea Rescue (SAR). His favorite plane was a Grumman HU-16 Albatross #1313, but it seems most missions were flown in a C-130 (the Workhorse), which was before helicopters.

For generations, Duke men were stone masons. However, he worked for a very short time after leaving the Coast Guard in semiconductors before going into banking, beginning at Bank of America in 1967 and ending his nearly 40-year banking career at First Northern Bank of Dixon in 2004. Jim was an avid golfer and card player who loved to camp and travel by car or cruise ship.

He was preceded in death by brothers, Dwight and Melvin H., and parents, Reba E. and Earnest Earl. Jim leaves behind to honor his memory his wife, Cheryl of 50+ years; sons, Lonnie (Lori) and Michael; daughter, Amanda; grandchildren: Kristy (Matthew) Pipes; Jack Moore; Joshua and Madison Duke; great-granddaughter, Alexis, brothers-in-law; cousins; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, 912 Killian Hill Road, S.W., Lilburn GA 30047, https://www.lbda.org/donate.

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