Long-time Las Vegas resident, Patricia Dukes passed away on September 3, 2019. Born July 17, 1937 in New Orleans, Louisiana to the late Priscilla (Brown) Richardson and George E. Richardson, Sr., Patricia was 82 years old. As a young child, Patricia and her family moved to Bremerton, Washington where she spent most of her childhood. She became an early member of AME Ebenezer Church in Bremerton, which she served faithfully, until her travels took her away from the city.
After completing high school, Patricia married Raymond W. Dukes, Sr., a career serviceman. Their travels led them to unique and exotic places, from Bremerton and Moses Lake, Washington, to Alaska, to Minot, North Dakota, Guam, Japan and Las Vegas, where Patricia spent the bulk of her adult life.
Since Patricia was first a devoted wife and mom, she adapted her professional talents to a variety of jobs, including work as a switchboard operator on a Naval Shipyard in Alaska, supply clerk in Guam and a mail carrier in North Dakota. But she spent the bulk of her career as a compliance officer and treasury agent with the Internal Revenue Service, where she was awarded a rare and prestigious civil service award. Her 30+ years of public service was only outshined by her volunteer service as a cub scout leader, classroom aid and tax preparer for the elderly.
However, Patricia's most important and most impactful job was serving as mother and grandmother to her children and grandchildren, including three brothers, Channing Richardson, Anthony T. Richardson and Michael L. Richardson, whom she adopted when their young mother passed away. She also cherished her role as senior counselor and confidante to a host of younger brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends whom she would often invite to share in her favorite desserts: Oreos and M&Ms.
Preceded in death by her son, Ricky Bass and her sister Regina Richardson, Patricia is survived by her daughter, Cheryl D. Dukes of Atlanta, Georgia, Raymond W. Dukes, Jr. (Tamara) of Grand Prairie, Texas and Anthony A. Dukes (Samantha) of Las Vegas, Nevada; five grandchildren (Rachel, Reagan, Hope, Kanders and Zoey); brothers George E. Richardson, Jr. (Dorothy), Bruce Richardson, Donald L. Richardson (Melissa) and Ronald L. Richardson (Janice); sisters Ursula L. Morris, Alecia M. Middlebrooks (Azell) and Monica Moore; loving nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.
