Christalee B. Dukes
Christalee Burgess Dukes, 93, widow of Eddie Dukes Jr., died Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010, at Lake Marion Nursing Home, Summerton.
Born Nov. 16, 1916, in Clarendon County, she was a daughter of the late Rev. General Beauregard Burgess and Rosa Dukes Burgess. She received her formal education in the public schools of Clarendon County and Kendal Institute, Sumter. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1935. In 1939, she graduated from Allen University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1952, she graduated with a Master of Science degree from South Carolina State College. In her youth, she accepted Christ at an early age and joined the churches where her father pastored. After marriage, she joined Pine Grove AME, where she served on the Women’s Missionary Society; on the local, area and conference levels of the AME Church; and was an active member of the Lay Organization on all levels. She devoted her life to teaching and she taught at Bishopville High School, Wilson and Alcolu Elementary School and Manning Training School. She was a member of the National Education Association, South Carolina Education Association, NAACP and National Council of Negro Women.
She was preceded in death by six brothers, the Rev. Longfellow B., the Rev. Christopher Columbus, Shakespeare, General Lee, D. Livingston and Emerson Ward Beecher Burgess; four sisters, Helen Burgess Richburg, Mae Burgess Nelson, Rosa Burgess Blackwell and Hattie Burgess Porter.
Survivors are two sons, Andrew Dukes of the home and Arthur Porter of Miami, Fla.; two sisters-in-law, Agnes Hildebrand Burgess and Alvilder Irick; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held on Friday, Jan/ 29, 2010, at Pine Grove AME Church in Greeleyville, with the Rev. Ronnie Brown, pastor, officiating, the Rev. Moses T. Wilson, presiding, assisting the Rev. Betty Clark, the Rev. Timothy Johnson Sr. and the Rev. Leroy Green.
Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning was in charge of the arrangements. |
