Adelyn Duke, 96, of Carthage, TX, passed away on Tuesday afternoon, April 27, 2021, in Carthage. She was born on Aug. 11, 1924, in Paris, TX to the late Ralph Raleigh and Harriet Elizabeth Garrison Coldwell. Adelyn graduated from Ouachita Parish High School in West Monroe, LA with the class of 1941, and attended Northeast Louisiana College in West Monroe. She joined the U.S. Navy and served her country during WWII. After the war, Adelyn earned a Bachelor's degree from S.M.U. She moved to Carthage and became one of the founding faculty members at Panola College. While at Panola, she met William Ray Duke and they were later married on Nov. 12, 1950, in West Monroe and he preceded her in death on Nov. 16, 1997. After Ray's death, Adelyn became involved with the American Heart Assn. She was and avid reader and was also a long-time member of the Carthage Book Club. Adelyn spent most of her years in Victoria, TX, where Ray was the manager of the local Beall Bros. Department Store. While in Victoria, she was a very active member and lay leader in the Methodist Church. She and Ray moved back to Carthage in the mid-80's from Victoria after his retirement. Adelyn was an active member at the First United Methodist Church of Carthage where she started the Stephen's Ministry, was a devoted member of the Teammates Sunday School Class, and served on numerous committees and boards. She was also preceded in death by sisters, Carolyn Triplett, Ruby Nicholson, Mary Joyce Mays, Virginia Willis, and Babe Cole.

She is survived by daughters, Jacquelyn Schutz and husband Richard of Lake Murvual, TX and Madeleine Fisher and husband James of San Francisco, CA; sister, Martha Pipes of Boca Raton, FL; grandchildren, Rachel Wood, Catherine Schutz, and Cynthia Schutz; great-grandchildren, Meagan Cherney, Gianni DeMaestri, Sarah Kaczurak, and Mackenzie Kaczurak; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at the First United Methodist Church in Carthage with Rev. Kevin Otto officiating under the direction of Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home. Interment with military honors will follow in Clayton Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff of Winkler Place for the loving care provided to Mrs. Duke.

Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 201 S. Shelby, Carthage, TX 75633 or to the American Heart Association.

A guestbook may be signed online at www.jimerson-lipsey.com .

Click on the video below to view Mrs. Duke's Funeral Service