Bill J. Dukes

After high school, he served in the Navy during WWII on a destroyer escort in the South Pacific.

He returned to the University of Kentucky where he was a member of the ATO fraternity, science honorary society and a Kentucky Colonel. During those years, he married Barbara McGhee and their first child was born in Kentucky. He received a BS and MS in geology and began his career with Gulf Oil in Texas. He retired 28 years later as Vice President of International Exploration and Production for Union Texas, a division of Allied Chemical. He had explored and produced oil and gas on four continents.

The next 25 years were spent in Lakeway, Texas playing championship golf, hunting, and following a longtime interest in thoroughbred race horses. Finally, he and a friend formed an oil company and successfully drilled domestically for oil and gas.

When Bill was diagnosed with Alzheimer's he and Barbara moved to Querencia in Austin when, after 6 years, he moved to the memory support floor.

His survivors include Barbara, his wife of 65 years, 3 sons Douglas (Stacey), David, Daniel (Elizabeth) 2 daughters Donna Clarkson (Tim) and Diana Dukes. One infant daughter predeceased him. There are also 6 grandchildren – Derek (Julie), Daren, Kate, Ellee Dukes, Nick Clarkson (Amy) and Kelly Stanczyk (Joel). There are five great grandchildren – Logan, Coraline, Halsey Dukes, Elijah Stanczyk and Wyatt Clarkson.

In lieu of flowers please contribute to Alzheimer's Resources (www.alz.org) to help eradicate this disease. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 16, 2016 at Lakeway Church, 2203 Lakeway Blvd.