Obituary of Dorothy Osborne Duke

Durham Dorothy Osborne Duke June 26, 1920-April 12, 2014 Born to Ina Minatra Osborne and Foster Osborne in Giles County, Tennessee, the ninth of eleven children, Dot was an excellent student, and played on her high school basketball team. She often told her family about country life in Giles County, such as leading their red cow to the creek, and about her father' s small country store. After graduating from high school, Dot attended two years of business college. Upon graduating, she married Lillard Claude Duke of Defeated Creek, TN. The couple settled in Old Hickory, TN where Dot began working for a large DuPont textiles plant as a forelady in the spinning rooms, and eventually as a secretary. She played basketball on the DuPont C-Shift women's team. She retired from DuPont in 1980. Old Hickory was a beautiful little company-built town and Dot loved her life there. Dot and Lillard became active members of the Old Hickory Church of Christ, traveling to small congregations to assist with vacation Bible schools. Later they became members of the Madison Church of Christ where they led a Fellowship Group and worked with Meals on Wheels. For years, each week they would boil two dozen eggs at home for the meals. Dot said 'the old people like eggs.' After 61 years of marriage to Dot, Lillard died in 2001. In 2005 she moved to Chapel Hill, NC to live with her family. In 2006 she moved into Spring Arbor Assisted Living of Durham. Even when her mind grew dim from dementia, she had a zest for life, remembered the songs to countless old hymns, and regularly attended church services at Spring Arbor. Her family is so grateful to the wonderful staff at Spring Arbor and to UNC-Hospice for their honorable and loving service. Dot is survived by one sister-in-law, Anne Moorer Osborne of Nashville, Tennessee; one daughter Linda Duke DeJongh (Paul) of Chapel Hill, NC; three granddaughters, Melinda DeJongh of Chapel Hill, NC; Vanessa Sutherland (Jack) of Chapel Hill, NC; and Olivia Raufman (Matt) of Atlanta, GA. She has three great-grandchildren, Eleri Sutherland and Luca and Sylvie Raufman. She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews, among them Kelley and Sheryl Wright of Old Hickory, TN who cared for Dot as if she were their own mother. Dot had an unusually sweet disposition, bright red hair, and was truly loved by all who knew her. She will be interred in Hermitage Memorial Gardens in Hermitage, Tennessee beside her husband. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at 2:00 (visitation at 1:00) at the Old Hickory Chapel of Phillips Robinson Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers donations to your local Hospice Association would be appreciated. Walker's Funeral Home of Chapel Hill is honored to serve the Duke family.