James Duke

James V. "Jabo" Duke, 87, former Director of Public Safety for the City of Bainbridge, passed away Friday, August 22, 2014 at his home surrounded by his family. The funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 24, 2014 at Calvary Baptist Church. Interment will follow at Beulah Thomas Baptist Church Cemetery with Masonic Rites as well as the Bainbridge Public Safety Honor Guard. Active pallbearers will be Sam Jones, Stanley Thompson, Tony Black, Dennis Weaver, Stan Killough, Butch Wilson, Larry Funderburke, and Brett Wilkinson. Honorary pallbearers will be Dennis Mock, Walter Landrum, Jerry Carter, Gary Welch, Jim Schiffner Thurman Barber, Fred Black, Charles Tyson, Jack Conger, AC Godsey, Dr. J. Galt Allee, Dr. Sydney Cochran, Daniel Humphrey, Bruce Usery, Mike Roland, the men of Beulah Thomas Baptist Church, the members of the Masonic Lodge both Bainbridge and Faceville, current and former officers of Bainbridge Public Safety, officers of the Decatur County Sheriff's Office and all Emergency Response Personnel in the immediate area. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 23, 2014 at Ivey Funeral Home. Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.iveyfuneral.com . The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Beulah Thomas Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, c/o Nelda Moore, 3208 Tired Creek Road, Whigham, GA 39897 or Shriners Hospital, Office of Development, 290 Rock Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607. Jabo was born July 26, 1927 in Gadsden County, FL, the son of Emsley Henry Dukes and Mattie King Dukes. He attended West Bainbridge High School and then served honorably in the United States Navy during World War II. Joining the Bainbridge Police Department in May of 1954, he began as a patrolman, moving through the ranks as Motorcycle Traffic Patrolman, Corporal, Sergeant, Chief Detective, and Chief of Police. In 1982, he served as president of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police . After the City of Bainbridge adopted the public safety concept in 1984, he served as the city's first Director of Public Safety until his retirement on August 1, 1992. It was also in 1992 that Jabo was selected by his peers to receive the prestigious award of Geogia's Police Chief of The Year. His service extended a period of almost 40 years of faithful and dedicated service to law enforcement in his beloved community. Active in his community, he worked with youth ball programs and the Lions Club. He was also a freemason with the Orion Lodge #8 F.&A.M. where he served as Worshipful Master in 1982 and a Shriner with the Hasan Temple A.A.O.N.M.S. as Ambassador At-Large Emeritus. He was a member of Beulah Thomas Baptist Church and his delight was in his wife, his children, and especially his grandchildren. Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Mary Jane Skipper Duke of Bainbridge, GA; his sons, J. Eric Duke and his wife, Angela, of Bainbridge, GA and Bret W. Benninghoff and Gail, of Atlanta, GA; his daughters, Deborah Duke Skipper and her husband, Charlie, of Bainbridge, GA and Barbara Jo Benninghoff of Franklin, NC; His grandchildren, Meri Larsyn Duke of Bainbridge, GA, J. Cuyler Duke of Bainbridge, GA, Trent Clayton of Nebraska, Trena Clayton Bledsoe of Rogersville, TN, and Alexis Shapiro of Franklin, NC; his great-grandchildren, Jessica Clayton DePew, Ethan Bledsoe, Makenna Bledsoe, Cooper Bledsoe, Emily-Anna Hill, and Jake Hill; his brothers, Roy Dukes and his wife, Jean, of Donalsonville, GA, Bill Dukes and his wife, Susan, of Roxboro, NC, Edwin Dukes and his wife, Tina, of McDonough, GA, and John Dukes of Dothan , AL; his sisters, Laura Jo Ramey of McDonough, GA and Mildred Butler and her husband, Larry, of Monroe, GA; a host of nieces and nephews; his cousins; and his special in-laws. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Wallace Dukes and James W. Dukes; and his sisters, Myrtis Dukes and Ann Dukes Odom.