Red Lake Falls - Roscoe L. Duke, 94, died Friday, August 14, 1998 at the CNC Unit of Northwest Medical Center in Thief River Falls.
Memorial services will be held in Estelline, SD. Arrangements are with the Green Funeral Home in Thief River Falls.
Roscoe Leroy Duke was born on December 8, 1904 in Birmingham, IA to the late Edward and Alice (Creek) Duke. He attended grade school and high school in Douds, IA. As a young man, Roscoe moved to Detroit, MI where he worked for Chevrolet in the heat treating department.
After moving to Fulton, SD Roscoe was united in marriage to Freida Buck. The couple lived in South Dakota and Iowa for a number of years where he farmed and owned a hardware. During World War II he worked as a welder in the ship yards. He also worked in the oil fields. After settling down in Bruce, SD, Roscoe farmed for 30 years and owned and operated a welding shop in Bryant, SD.
In 1976 Roscoe retired from farming and became involved in trucking with trucks that hauled grain over the road. He continued his trucking business after moving to Thief River Falls.
He enjoyed working, hunting as a young man and spending time with his family and friends. He was a 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge, a former Shriner of the Elriad Shrine Temple in Sioux Falls, SD and a former member of the Eastern Star and Knights Templar.
Roscoe is survived by five sons, Ed Duke of Thief River Falls, Leroy Duke of Volga, SD, Raymond Duke of Casselwood, SD, Russell Duke of Lewisburg, NC and Roger Duke of Austin, TX; 18 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; four sisters, Opal Brown of Demster, SD, Velma Burr of Douds-Leando, IA, Elsie Steagers of Keosauqua, IA and Frances Dosier of Mt. Pleasant, IA; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife; parents; one daughter, Lorraine Duke-Linneman; one infant grandson, Blake Fisher; two brothers, Herbert Duke and Gordon Duke; and one sister, Pauline Durflinger.