Fred Duke

Ross Duke of Clovis passed away on March 25, 2015. Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on April 2, 2015, at Steed-Todd Funeral Home in Clovis with Scotty Holloman officiating. Burial will follow at Lawn Haven Cemetery.

Ross was born in El Dorado, Kansas to Zella Rowe Duke and Fred Benton Duke. At one month of age, his family moved back to their ranch north west of Nava Visa, New Mexico, where his grandparents also ranched. Ross was the second oldest child and oldest boy of what would be thirteen children. Ross grew up on this ranch and attended school at Nava Visa until his senior year when his father took him out of school to work with him on the Conchas Dam project. Ross worked with his dad for eleven months before returning to Wheatland High School to graduate.

Not long after graduating, Ross went off to World War II. He served in the army for approximately three-and-a-half years in North Africa, France and Germany. After the war, Ross attended New Mexico A&E (New Mexico State University) and earned a degree in Agriculture Education. His first job was teaching veterans in Melrose, New Mexico, where he met his future wife Marie Fryar of Broadview, New Mexico, who was teaching Home Economics in Melrose. They were married in 1952. After Melrose, Ross taught Ag Education in House and Hagerman, New Mexico before returning to Clovis, where he taught science for 25 years at Marshall Junior High School. Ross went on to earn a masters degree from NMSU and an Education Specialist degree from ENMU. He taught part time in the Upward Bound program at ENMU and was a founding member of the Clovis Morning Kiwanis Club. Ross worked part time for the Clovis Health Department and farmed the family farm in San Jon, New Mexico with his son Ray. Ross and Marie were both members of the 16th and Pile Church of Christ.

Ross is preceded in death by his wife, Marie; his daughter, Janie; his brothers, Beecher, Emmett, and Jack; and his sisters, Fay Eicher, Martha Steinkruger, Helen Jacobi, Bonnie Frost, and Connie Lamb.

He is survived by his son, Ray Duke, and daughter-in-law, Jane; his brothers, Darrell, Gene, and Jim; his sister Jesse Duke Clark; and three grandchildren, Cameron, Kelsey, and Sara.

The family requests donations, in lieu of flowers, be given to the New Mexico Christians Children's Home, 1356 N.M. 236, Portales, NM 88120.

The family of Ross Duke would like to thank his many friends who have visited, helped, and encouraged him.

Arrangements were entrusted to Steed Todd Funeral Home, 800 E. Manana, Clovis, NM.

Visitation

Steed-Todd Funeral Home
800 E. Manana
Clovis, NM  88101
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
8:00AM-5:00PM

Service

Funeral Service

Steed Todd Chapel
800 E. Manana Blvd
Clovis, NM  88101
Thursday, April 2, 2015
10:00 AM

Cemetery

Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens
1601 E. Llano Estacado
Clovis, NM  88101