Reverend D. Floyd Dukes

Funeral services for Reverend Dannie Floyd Dukes, 87, of Williston, SC will be held at three o’clock p.m., Sunday, February 23, 2020 at the First Baptist Church of Williston with the Dr. Stephen Burnette, Dr. Thomas Terry and Reverend Tom Baker officiating; burial will follow in the Williston Cemetery. The family will receive friends from five to seven p.m., Saturday, February 22nd at Folk Funeral Home, Williston, SC. Memorial contributions may be given to the Memorial and Honor Program, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, The Williston Cemetery, P.O. Box 367, Williston, SC 29853 or Edisto Baptist Church, 2545 Wagener Rd., Aiken, SC 29801. Preacher Dukes passed away on Tuesday, February 18, 2020.

Born in Bamberg County, SC, on the Simms Plantation, he was a son of the late Dannie Victor Dukes and Emily Alpine Brickle Dukes. Upon his birth, he was placed in a bureau drawer for a crib. He attended Cope High School where he was among some of the first student school bus drivers in the state. He graduated from high school in 1952 and was the last class to graduate in 11 years. While still in high school, he received his calling into the ministry while sitting in Mrs. Ilene Gray’s Sunday School class at Canaan Baptist Church in the Canaan Community of Orangeburg County.  He attended the New Orleans Theological Seminary in the fall of 1952. Just one year later, in 1953, he met the love of his life Jane Love from Orlando, FL while she was attending nursing school. They married in 1954 and later that year he graduated from seminary. After graduating from the seminary he was call to Mt. Calvary Baptist Church near Blackville and also served at Elko Baptist Church. In 1959, he was called to Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Kingstree where he helped to break ground on a new 300 seat capacity sanctuary. In 1963, the Lord called him back to Mt. Calvary where he then pastored for more than 40 years. During this time he was also called to pastor at Pleasant Hill in Springfield and Edisto Baptist Church near Williston in Aiken County. For the next 15 years, he preached 4 times each Sunday at 3 different churches and Wednesday night services at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church. From 1956 to 1972, he was part of “The Church of Your Choice” on WWBD of Bamberg and WBAW of Barnwell radio stations. In 2003, Preacher Dukes retired from Mt. Calvary Baptist Church after serving for a total of 44 ½ years. Preacher Dukes was awarded the 2010 Citizen of the Year for the town of Williston. After 58 years of marriage, on July 28, 2012 he lost the love of his life, Jane Dukes. In May of 2018, he married his new-found love, Dorothy “Dot” Laird Bolen. This past year in July 2019, he completed his 54th year of ministry at Edisto Baptist Church. On January 27th, 2020 God granted Preacher Dukes 87 years in His service. He loved and adored the people of the churches where he pastored including people in the community; he was well-known in the community and surrounding areas. He often visited people to deliver his hams, cakes, and pies that he loved to share with others when they needed uplifting. He was a true man of faith who always lifted others up in prayer and was a minister to all. During his long ministry, he has officiated more than 1,000 weddings and has preached more than 1,000 funerals. He preached Christ and Christ alone to all who would listen and to those who would not. While waiting in hospital waiting rooms or on the street corner of New Orleans, LA in 1953-54, he would share the gospel and preach the word.  Many, many families called on Preacher Dukes to pray with them at any and all hours during the time of loss of a loved one or news of new birth all through this short time called life from the place that he loved the best, the pulpit of a church which God gave him life at its best.

 Survivors include his wife Dot Dukes of the home; children Emily Jane Dukes and Dannie Dukes both of Williston, Reneé (Linwood) Livingston of Lake Murray, SC and Bubba (Beth) Bolen of Aiken; a sister Mary (Clifford) Nix of Lexington; grandchildren Elyse Livingston (Jonathan Seibold) of Columbia, Kayla (Jason) Bowers of San Diego, CA; a great granddaughter Evans Mae Livingston; nephew John (Drucilla) Nix and a niece Connie Nix.

Folk Funeral Home, Inc. and Crematory, Williston, SC is assisting the family with arrangements.  Visit our on-line registry at www.folkfuneralhome.com.

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