Claude A. Duke, TSgt., USAF (Retired)
January 27, 1944 – July 18, 2023

Claude Allen Duke, age 79, of Blue Ridge, GA passed away on Tuesday, July 18th, 2023. He was born on January 27, 1944, in Goose Creek, TX to the late Jefferson Harrison Duke and Mary Alice Quinn Duke.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his sister Mrs. Ben (Linda) Howard, his brothers Wayne Duke, Donald Duke, Larry Duke, and Bobby Duke.

Claude is survived by his wife Susan L. Duke, two sisters Mrs. David (Janette) Mears and Lesa Duke of Waco, TX and his brother Billy Duke of Hearn, TX. In addition, Claude is survived by his daughter Mrs. Claudia Sochor and son-in-law Mr. John Sochor, four granddaughters, and eleven great grandchildren.

Claude served in the U.S. Air Force as an TSgt. Aeromedical Technician from 1962 to 1982. He was awarded the Air Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air force Outstanding Unit Medal, Air Force Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon. Claude served at Brooks Air Force Base; Sembach Germany; Randolph AFB; Vietnam, Langley AFB; Keflavik, Iceland; Hurlburt Field, Florida; and Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina.

In 1991, Claude began a second career working for the National Park Service at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He transferred to Gulf Islands National Seashore in Florida in 1996, back to the Smokies in 2000 and retired in 2007 from the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.
In his younger years Claude loved the outdoors, playing golf, fishing in the ocean or a lake, hiking in the Smokies, kayaking the Chattahoochee River and Lake Lanier and biking on greenway trail systems. He and Susan would go to the Smoky Mountains NP to watch the fireflies or drive over to visit the elk herd. He loved taking a boat ride to Buck Island Reef National Monument offshore of St. Croix, USVI where he and his wife lived for 12 years. They moved to the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona for 2 ½ years and Claude loved to walk his dog Smoky along the pathways. Claude and Susan spent many days and weeks visiting as many National Parks as they could.

Funeral services, with military honors will be 10 am on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at the Georgia National Cemetery, 1080 Scott Hudgens Drive, Canton, GA 30114.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Humane Society of Blue Ridge at www.humanesocietyofblueridge.org or by mail to 171 Mineral Springs Road, Blue Ridge, GA 30513. OR Veterans of Foreign Wars by mail to the Fannin County Veterans Memorial Park P.O. Box 2113 Blue Ridge, GA 30513

The Sosebee Funeral Home in Canton, GA is honored to serve the Duke family.
SosebeeFuneralHome.com 770-479-2131

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SSgt. Claude A. Duke served in the Vietnam War as a HH-43F (Call sign “Pedro), medical technician with Det. 14, 38th ARRS in the 1968-1969-time frame.