Posted:
March 8, 2011
Robert J. Duke - a retired U.S. Navy commander, member of American Maritime Officers and engineering instructor at STAR Center - passed away March 5 at Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was 78.
Duke was a submariner in the U.S. Navy for more than 23 years. He proudly served in Vietnam as the commanding officer of the USS Diodon (SS349), and served as officer- in-charge, Naval Underwater Systems Center, in Newport, Rhode Island.
His service in the U.S. merchant marine included work aboard LNG tankers, as well as multiple cargo and Military Sealift Command vessels, as a seagoing member of AMO. He also worked for Caterpillar Inc., and was an engineering instructor at the AMO Safety & Education Plan's Simulation, Training, Assessment and Research (STAR) Center in Dania Beach, Florida. Most recently, he was the supervisor of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Air Quality Division for the State of Florida.
Duke was a member of the American Legion, Military Officers Association, Massachusetts Maritime Academy Association, and the VFW.
Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on July 17, 1932, Duke was a previous resident of Somerville and Weymouth, Massachusetts; Newport, Rhode Island; and, most recently, Stuart, Florida. He graduated from Weymouth High School in 1951 and from Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 1954.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jean Duke (O'Leary) of Stuart, Florida; his son, Robert J. Duke Jr. (Marsha), of Stuart, Florida; daughter, Linda J. Arcouette (Robert) of Bristol, Rhode Island; son, Thomas E. Duke (Irene) of Virginia Beach, Virginia; son, John W. Duke (Catherine) of Middletown, Rhode Island; daughter, Lisa A. Duke of Jensen Beach, Florida; grandchildren, Roger Brown, Robin Duke, Bowen Duke, Jordan Duke, Brett Arcouette, Devin Duke, Matthew Duke, Benjamin Duke Camp, and John Duke; brother, Ronald Duke of Hanover, Massachusetts, and sister, Dorothy Andrews, of Weymouth, Massachusetts.
A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, March 10 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Aycock Funeral Home in Stuart, Florida, with a memorial service beginning at 6 p.m. with family eulogies to follow. Additional services will be held in Rhode Island at a later date.
Information and directions for the services in Stuart are available online.
Memorial Contributions may be made in Duke's honor to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Foundation in care of Gary L. Lowe, Dean of Development, 101 Academy Drive, Buzzards Bay, MA 02582. Online condolences may be made to Duke's family at www.aycockfuneralhome.net.
In memory of Robert J. Duke: 1932-2011
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| Bob Duke at his retirement celebration at STAR Center in 2006 — with him are fellow engineering instructors Rosemary Mackay and Todd Christensen. |
Duke was a submariner in the U.S. Navy for more than 23 years. He proudly served in Vietnam as the commanding officer of the USS Diodon (SS349), and served as officer- in-charge, Naval Underwater Systems Center, in Newport, Rhode Island.
His service in the U.S. merchant marine included work aboard LNG tankers, as well as multiple cargo and Military Sealift Command vessels, as a seagoing member of AMO. He also worked for Caterpillar Inc., and was an engineering instructor at the AMO Safety & Education Plan's Simulation, Training, Assessment and Research (STAR) Center in Dania Beach, Florida. Most recently, he was the supervisor of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Air Quality Division for the State of Florida.
Duke was a member of the American Legion, Military Officers Association, Massachusetts Maritime Academy Association, and the VFW.
Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on July 17, 1932, Duke was a previous resident of Somerville and Weymouth, Massachusetts; Newport, Rhode Island; and, most recently, Stuart, Florida. He graduated from Weymouth High School in 1951 and from Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 1954.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jean Duke (O'Leary) of Stuart, Florida; his son, Robert J. Duke Jr. (Marsha), of Stuart, Florida; daughter, Linda J. Arcouette (Robert) of Bristol, Rhode Island; son, Thomas E. Duke (Irene) of Virginia Beach, Virginia; son, John W. Duke (Catherine) of Middletown, Rhode Island; daughter, Lisa A. Duke of Jensen Beach, Florida; grandchildren, Roger Brown, Robin Duke, Bowen Duke, Jordan Duke, Brett Arcouette, Devin Duke, Matthew Duke, Benjamin Duke Camp, and John Duke; brother, Ronald Duke of Hanover, Massachusetts, and sister, Dorothy Andrews, of Weymouth, Massachusetts.
A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, March 10 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Aycock Funeral Home in Stuart, Florida, with a memorial service beginning at 6 p.m. with family eulogies to follow. Additional services will be held in Rhode Island at a later date.
Information and directions for the services in Stuart are available online.
Memorial Contributions may be made in Duke's honor to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Foundation in care of Gary L. Lowe, Dean of Development, 101 Academy Drive, Buzzards Bay, MA 02582. Online condolences may be made to Duke's family at www.aycockfuneralhome.net.