By Staff
Mr. Aubrey Duke Jennings, age 87, of 311 N 7th Street in Aurora, died Saturday, March 20, 2010 at his home. He was born February 14, 1923 in Pasquotank County, NC and was the son of James Griffin and Beatrice Elizabeth Cartwright Jennings, both deceased and of Weeksville, Pasquotank Co. NC.
Memorial services will be 1:00 pm Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at Paul Funeral Home of Washington and will be conducted by Dr. Tom Denton and Pastor Mike Huffman. Burial will follow in Oakdale Cemetery with military honors.
Mr. Jennings completed high school in Weeksville, NC in 1939. In 1940, he joined the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp) and served at Pea Island in Dare Co. In January 1941, Duke joined the US Navy. After boot camp he was assigned to the USS Sturdevant doing escort service for aid to England and Russia. When WWII broke out he was reassigned to the USS Ashland LSD (landing ship dock) and began the invasion of the Pacific Islands on the march to Japan. Duke was discharged in Feb, 1946 to go home to Maine to his wife and three children.
He went to work for New England Telephone as a lineman until rumors of a big layoff threatened. It was then that he and his wife decided to move back to Weeksville. Later in that same year, 1949, Duke’s brother-in-law bought a potato farm in Aurora and asked Duke to move there to work and buy the farm, which was agreed upon.
The years of farming were hard and not very profitable. He raised crops, hogs, chickens and turkeys. In 1963, Texas Gulf opened a pilot plant near Aurora. He went to work there and retired in 1983. He and his wife camped in their RV all over the country for about 15 yrs.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Emily Sorensen Jennings and a son, David Carl Jennings. Siblings deceased before him were Alfred Jennings, Percy Jennings, Bill Jennings, Lucy W. Jennings, Ernest Jennings, Calvin Jennings, Elizabeth J. Pearson, Ruth J. Berry and Annie B. J. Jennings. Survivors include a daughter, Crestena Jennings Oakley, and husband Douglas; a son, Steven Dean Jennings, and wife, Carol; Grandchildren: Renee Oakley Spain and husband, Gregory; Trudy Oakley Garris and husband, Eric; Christy Oakley Philbee and husband, Timothy; Dr. Nichole Jennings Allen and husband, Ted; Danielle Jennings Ashley and husband, Charles; Kendall Jennings Commodore and husband, Brian; and Steven Dean Jennings II and friend Destiny. Great Grandchildren: Anna Louise Spain, James Michael Johnson, Sidney Brooks Spain, Ian Avery Garris, Mary Elizabeth Spain, Rosanna Lee Garris, Jacob Lee Philbee, Lindsey Elaine Philbee, Emily Grace Allen, Sarah Kathryn Ashley, Taylor Charles Ashley, David Arthur Commodore, Clara Jennings Allen. Brother, Emory C Jennings of Patterson LA and sister, Marguerite J Markham of Weeksville NC; and a dear friend Kathy Gagen.
In lieu of flowers, an endowment fund has been set up for scholarships with North Carolina Baptist Association Endowment Fund. Please mail memorials to Endowment Fund, c/o Mrs. Iris Honeycutt, 9876 NC 306 S., Aurora, NC 27806.
The family will receive friends from 11:30 am until the time of the funeral at 1:00 pm Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at Paul Funeral Home of Washington and other times at the home.
You may address condolences to the Jennings family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com.
Paul Funeral Home of Washington is honored to serve the Jennings family.
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