Evening Sentinel, Shenandoah, Iowa
Friday, December 3, 1937
C. W. DUKE DIES IN DENVER
Clifford W. Duke, formerly of Shenandoah and Clarinda, died at his home in Denver, Wednesday, December 1st, from an abdominal cancer. Few men had a wider acquaintance in the county than Mr. Duke.
He served in the post office at Shenandoah during the entire period that C. N. Marvin was postmaster, from July 1, 1897, to January 1, 1905.
He helped Mr. Marvin move the post office equipment across the street from the north side of Sheridan Avenue to the south side between the Mentier grocery store and W. H. Replogle's Jewelry Store.
He started in as general delivery clerk and was promoted to assistant postmaster, which position he held during the period when the rural free delivery and city free delivery were established.
After that, Mr. Duke was elected county auditor of Page County which position he held for several terms.
Later he moved with his family to Colorado, where for several years, he conducted a dairy and poultry farm in the suburbs of the city of Denver.
He was taken ill with stomach trouble several months ago, which developed into cancer from which he died.
Many of the older citizens will remember his father, J. C. Duke, a civil war veteran and republican politician in Shenandoah for many years. He belonged to the same regiment as Mr. Marvin's father and was wounded in the same battle at which Mr. Marvin's father was killed, at Vicksburg, so it was natural for the long time close relationship of the two men.
Clifford Duke's wife was related to the Higgins and Oppenheimer families west of Shenandoah. He is survived by his wife, Cressie, and three children - Mildred, now married and living in Oregon; Vernon, a television operator in New York City, and Richard. Two sisters also survive, Ella Duke Earhart of Omaha and Mrs. Iva Boston of near Denver.
Ed. M. Duke, of this city, an older half brother, commander of the Spanish-American War veterans of the vicinity, is now being treated in the veteran's hospital in Des Moines where he underwent an operation recently.
Funeral services for Clifford Duke will be held in Denver Saturday at 1 o'clock at the Hoffman Mortuary.
E. M. Duke went to Denver a few weeks ago to visit his brother and upon his return stated that Clifford was seriously ill.
Mrs. Duke and her son, Richard, will probably continue to reside on the farm at Denver and conduct the dairy business as formerly. Mr. Duke's age at time of death must have been about sixty.
His passing is quite a shock to Mr. Marvin, his long associate and senior by twenty years, as well as to his many other friends in this county.
Source:Duke Family Obituaries
transcribed and submitted by: Susan Glasgo: ozarksue3541@yahoo.com
