Geneva Susan Howard Duke

Published 8:56 am Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Geneva Susan Howard Duke, 89, of Cullman passed away Monday morning, March 21, 2016, at her home in the Larkwood neighborhood.

Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, at Moss Service Funeral Home of Cullman. A viewing will begin at 10 a.m. at Oak Level Baptist Church Thursday, March 24, with funeral services at 11 a.m., Reverend Etsel Riddle officiating. Interment will be in Oak Level Cemetery.

Geneva was born March 13, 1927. Immediately after graduation from Holly Pond High School in 1945, during World War II, she moved to Washington DC and worked in the Pentagon for the Army. Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and George C. Marshall were also working in her wing of the Pentagon at that time. After the war was over, she moved back to Cullman, Alabama and married Thomas Howard Duke on March 8, 1947. Howard preceded her in death on March 11, 1998.

Many Cullman County residents may remember Geneva and Howard Duke as owners of the Duke Bargain Barn & Antiques that was on Highway 278 East of Cullman prior to the road-widening project. An inspiration to all who knew her, Geneva was known to be able to “outwork” anyone around. To everyone who knew her she was the epitome of the statement “there was not a lazy bone in her body.” To her, if you were not busy doing something productive, you were not giving 100 percent. This work ethic was particularly evident earlier in her life while working on the family strawberry, chicken and cattle farms and then later at the Nicholson File plant in Cullman.

Geneva became a regular at the Cullman Senior Center and immediately developed friends everywhere she went. She was recognized as one of the more “sociable” members of the group and often wore her beloved Alabama Crimson Tide gear to the senior events.

A person who truly loved our Lord and Savior Geneva rarely missed a church service at Oak Level Baptist Church. This continued even after her hard fought battle with cancer that lasted into three decades. Most recently, after going through multiple rehabilitations from a heart attack, stroke, broken vertebra and COPD while continuing to fight bile duct cancer. Still she could often be found on Sunday mornings sitting in her usual pew after being wheeled in by her children. In addition to being active in her church, she served in the office of the American Red Cross as a volunteer for many years and she participated in numerous American Cancer Society fundraising events, most notably the Relay For Life event walking as a survivor.

She joins her parents, Alvin and Lydia (Mann) Howard; brother, A.J. Howard; in addition to her husband, Howard Duke, who all preceded her in death.

She is survived by her sister, Margie Veal; two daughters, Shelia Pulliam (Gwen) and Ramona Craft (Robert); and a son Roderick Duke (Becky); as well as nine grandchildren, Melda Thornton, Derrick Garrison, Sherri Langley, Shawn Pulliam, Wesley Craft, Ellis Craft, Rachael McCulloch, Amanda Brown, Lydia Pinkston; and 24 great-grandchildren. She will not only be missed by these but also by a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins as well as friends and neighbors, all of which she was very fond. In fact, most likely every doctor, nurse and physical therapist, heard multiple times how proud she was of her children, grandchildren and family.

The family would like to express their appreciation to Hospice of Cullman County as well as caregivers, Alice Rogers and Rhonda Kohls.

Moss Service Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.