Reverend Cleveland Strange Duke, Jr. | Eastern NC Now

February 25, 1934 – April 3, 2021
    Reverend Cleveland Strange Duke, Jr., 87, died on Saturday April 3rd, 2021 at Penn Nursing Center. A graveside service will be held at 2pm on Thursday April 8th, 2021 at Evergreen Memory Gardens in Reidsville, NC. The service will by officiated by Reverend Jay Willard, Joey Pellino, and Chaplin Patricia Wright.

    Reverend Duke was born on February 25th, 1934 in Washington, NC to the late Cleveland Strange Duke, Sr. and the late Cecille Patrick Duke. He was a 1952 graduate of Washington High School.

    He was a veteran of the United States Army, having served during the Korean Conflict. He graduated from Pfeiffer University in 1971. He served as a pastor to several churches in North Carolina over the past 50 years. He was also a student of martial arts, including Judo and Karate. Cleveland very much enjoyed watching game shows, especially Jeopardy! He always looked forward to attending his class reunions in Washington and going to the Summer Festival downtown.

    Cleveland is survived by his wife, Mary Lou Duke, of Providence, NC; son, Patrick Cleveland Duke of Gastonia, NC; daughter, Davida Lewis and her husband, David, of Reidsville, NC; sisters, Anne Duke Sanders of Elizabeth City, NC, and Barbara Duke Jones of Washington, NC, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

    The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to New Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, 3004 Vance Street Ext., Reidsville, NC 27320.

    Condolences may be sent to the family at www.wilkersonfuneral.com

    Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington is honored to assist the Duke family and Wilkerson Funeral Home.