William A. "Bill" Duke

William "Bill" A. Duke, 56, of Hidden Falls Road in Tully, passed away at home on Thursday, February 6, 2014. A native of Syracuse, Bill grew up in Cincinnatus and graduated from Cincinnatus High School in 1975. He was the son of Betty and the late William Duke.
Bill, a Master Plumber, took over ownership of Duke’s Plumbing after the death of his father in 2000, thereby carrying on the family business started by his grandfather. A business well known for its half black, half white trucks, Bill continued to run and expand the business until his death. Prior to becoming a business owner, Bill worked at various construction companies in the Central NY area and was known as a hard working, mechanically inclined worker who loved to play practical jokes on his coworkers. Outside of work, Bill enjoyed scuba diving and held certifications as a Master Diver and Rescue Diver. He volunteered his time working with handicapped children teaching them to scuba dive and through this program met many lifelong friends. When not under the water, Bill enjoyed being on top of the water boating in the 1000 Islands. Bill was an experienced pilot for over 20 years and enjoyed taking to the skies in his Cessna any chance he got. Known as “Duke” by many of his friends, he was always right there to help in the time of need, earning him a special place in the heart of many.
Bill is survived by his wife, the former Sharon (Fischer); four children: LynnAnn Murphy of Guatemala, Kristin (Darren) Smith of Chattanooga, TN, Steven (Amanda) Duke of Cicero, and William Duke III of Rochester; two step-children: Alexa and Jack Murray both of Tully; his mother, Betty; a sister, Alece (Gary) DeGear of Bean Station, TN; and his five grandchildren: Justin, Jessica, Dani, Steven Jr., and Simon.
At Bill's request, in lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to support his daughter, LynnAnn Murphy, a Missionary in Guatemala, via CTEN- Commission to Every Nation, P.O.Box 291307, Kerrville, TX 78029-1307: www.cten.org.
Friends may call on Monday from 4-7 pm at Krueger Funeral Home, 2619 Brewerton Rd., Mattydale. Funeral Services will begin on Tuesday, 11 am at the funeral home. Spring Burial will be in Lower Cincinnatus Cemetery. For more information, photos or to sign the guest book, please visit www.kruegerfh.com or www.facebook.com/KruegerFuneralHome