Lonnie Hollis Duke

Mr. Lonnie Hollis Duke, age 82, of Americus, passed away on March 2, 2026 at his home. A memorial service will be held 11:00 A.M, Monday March 9th at Calvary Baptist Church in Leslie. Rev. William Hall will officiate the service. The family will greet friends at Lonnie’s home on Sunday March 8th from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M.

Lonnie was born at the old Prather Clinic in Americus. GA, on Monday morning, May 15, 1944. the son of the late Morgan General Duke and the late Annie Pearl Worthy Duke Tripp. He is survived by niece April Duke Henderson (Gary), Locust Grove, GA, great nieces Ashely Gardner (Tate) and Katie Henderson; and nephew Dr. Ray M. Duke, Jr. (April), Americus, GA, and great nieces and nephew Karson Rodgers (Wade), Nathan Duke, Lauren Duke, Maison Duke, and Hayden Duke. Also surviving are stepsisters Wilma Tripp Hendley, Americus, and Eleanor Tripp Watson, Leesburg; and stepbrother Gene Tripp (Debbie), Leesburg. Also, sister-in-law Mary Williamson Duke, Americus. Five cousins and a few step-cousins also survive.

Lonnie is pre-deceased by stepfather Wilbur L. "Buck' Tripp; two brothers, Ray M. Duke, Sr. and Norman B. Duke; and sister-in-law Janice Head Duke. He is also pre-deceased by his stepsisters' husbands, Paul Hendley and Larry Watson as well as three cousins Glen Worthy, Merle Sheffield, and Al Worth.

His paternal grandparents were Derrell Hollis Duke and Sara Della Snider Duke; maternal grandparents were Alonzo Jackson Worthy and Martha Ellen McCorquodale Worthy.

He was a former member of Leslie Baptist Church, Leslie, and present charter member of Calvary Baptist Church, Leslie. He served in the church choir for many years and was Sunday school secretary for fifty years. His church membership was his life; he tried to lived his Christian faith and salvation over a lifetime. He attended Roswell Street Baptist Church, Marietta, GA, while enrolled in college in Marietta.

As an appreciator of the Written word, he wrote and self-published several non-fiction books about sports. He called himself a blue-collar writer and shade tree historian. He wrote and co- wrote less than fifty songs and had several published with two commercial recordings. He was a former • member of American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and present member of Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI). He found the music industry to be interesting and extremely competitive.

Lonnie graduated high school at old Union High School, Leslie, in 1963; Southern Technical Institute (now Southern Polytechnic State University) with an engineering technology associate degree in 1966; and Georgia Southwestern State University with a BS in Business Administration in 1974.

Lonnie served in the United States Navy (1967-1971) aboard the anti-submarine support aircraft carrier USS Kearsarge CVS-33, Long Beach, CA, and Reconnaissance Attack Squadron Three, Naval Air Station Albany, Albany, GA. He was a Vietnam War veteran with anti-submarine support service against the old Soviet Union on Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin in 1967- 68.

Lonnie worked for a short period of time at Andersonville National Historic Site, Andersonville, GA, and the Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, Dawson, GA, where he engaged in peanut research. He was employed with the old Soil Conservation Service in Cuthbert and Cordele, GA; he was manager of Leslie Auto Parts, Leslie. He later served twenty-two years with the Marine Corps Logistics Base and Marine Corps Systems Command Albany,

GA, in the procurement support effort until his retirement in 2004. He served nearly thirty years in federal civil service plus his military service.

A sports and music fan, he especially loved golf, baseball, and watching the Atlanta Braves on television. He was a Milwaukee Braves’ fan in 1957 and later followed the Braves to Atlanta. His music love was bluegrass; he attended bluegrass music festivals and concerts whenever possible. His favorite bluegrass festival venue was at the Jekyll Island Bluegrass Festival at Jekyll Island, GA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Calvary Baptist Church, Leslie, GA, or to one's favorite charity.