Walter B.  Duke Jr. passed away on Thursday, December 8, 2022, at the age of 85. After several months of declining health, Coach Duke died peacefully with his beloved daughter Tonya and grandson Kyle at his bedside.  During his last days he was visited often by family and surrounded with love.  He received excellent care at the Miami VA Hospice.

Walter was born in Hobbs, New Mexico on February 7, 1937, to Father Walter B. Duke, Sr.  and Mother Hazel Gamblin Duke. An only child, Walter excelled at sports playing football, and basketball at Duncan High School in Oklahoma.   He attended Oklahoma State University and played football there,  then answered the call to duty and joined the United States Army rising to the rank of Captain.  As an Army pilot Walter flew many dangerous missions in Vietnam in defense of our country.  He was also a member of the United States Army Field Band.  He received numerous medals for his bravery in combat.

Upon his return from the war Walter settled in  South Florida to raise his family and begin his career as a Captain for National Airlines then Pan Am Airlines.   Captain Duke traveled the world many times over and was well loved by his many airline friends.   A prolific youth sports coach, Coach Duke, as is known to many, coached thousands of boys and girls over a 30+ year coaching career in football, baseball, and softball.   His impact on the lives of many cannot be measured and there is still a baseball field known as Duke Field at Rotary Park in Hollywood where he started his youth coaching career in 1970.  He and two fellow coaches built that field with their own hands at a time when the city was in financial straits and couldn’t afford to build it.

Walter was preceded in death by his parents and by the mother of his children Jane Lockard Duke.   He is survived by his second wife Jeanne Duke; children Walter Duke, III (Lisa),  Tonya Duke & daughter Stephanie Dueck (Stephan),  grandchildren  Brittany Nortmann (Richard), Kyle Pollard (Linette Hernandez), Chad Pollard, Kaitlyn Franklin, Chloe Duke Parsons (Kyle), Connor Duke, Clayton Dueck & Keira Dueck. His seven great grandchildren were the light of his life. “Pipaw”, as he was known, was blessed with seven great grandchildren, Colton, Dylan, Brendan, Kyle, Janelle, Christopher, and Bryce.  He loved them all intensely and was “coaching them up” right up until the end.

A visitation  for Coach Duke  is planned for Thursday, December 15, from 5 pm to 8 pm., with a Tributes of a Lifetime Service starting at 6:30pm  at Boyd-Panciera’s  University Drive Chapel at 1600 North University Drive, Pembroke Pines, FL 33024 .The link to attend  the LIVE SERVICE  is on the Boyd-Panciera Family Funeral Care Facebook page at: BOYD-PANCIERA FAMILY FUNERAL CARE .  All are invited to attend.  Captain Duke will be laid to rest at the South Florida National VA Cemetery located (6501 S. State Rd 7,   Lake Worth, FL ,33449)  with full military honors on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, at 11:00.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation t0 K9s for Warriors. https://K9sforwarriors.org/

K9s For Warriors provides highly-trained Service Dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and of military sexual trauma. The majority of the dogs come from high-kill rescue shelters.