EUGENE "GENE" DUKES

PERRY – Eugene Talmadge “Gene” Dukes, 85, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. Funeral Services will be on Friday, August 16, 2024, at Watson-Hunt Funeral Home. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., and the Funeral will begin at 11:00 a.m. Entombment will be in the Ascension Mausoleum at Perry Memorial Gardens immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests memorial contributions to Bethesda Primitive Baptist Church, 1241 Bethesda Road, Wadley, GA 30477. Gene was born on September 5, 1938, in Jefferson County, Georgia, to the late Elisha Dukes, Sr. and the late Mary Watkins Dukes. He was the last born of their five children. He attended school in Wadley, Georgia, and graduated in 1956. He served in the United States Army and was stationed with the 24th Infantry Division in Augsburg, Germany. After discharge from the Army, Gene was employed as a meat cutter by Piggy Wiggly Southern in Warner Robins, Georgia. He became the Meat Department Manager in Macon and Valdosta, then became Meat Department Supervisor for several stores in Central Georgia. Later, as an employee of Bruno’s Inc, he was assigned stores to manage in several states. After over 37 years with Piggly Wiggly/Bruno’s, he retired. Gene was not one to sit still, as he enjoyed working in his yard. He accepted a position with Watson-Hunt Funeral Home where he worked as an assistant at funerals and was a licensed Life Insurance Agent, helping families plan their funerals ahead of time, just as he did his own. Gene was a long-time member of Bethesda Primitive Baptist Church and had served for a number of years as a Deacon. Gene was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Sammy Dukes, Elisha Dukes Jr., and John Dukes; his sister, Martha Norris; a daughter, Warnell Harpe Jackson; a son, Jimmy Harpe; a grandson, Christopher Jones; and his loving and devoted wife of sixty-two years, Bessie Lee Lewis Dukes. Left to cherish the memories they made with Gene are his children, Johnny Dukes of Perry, and Janice Dukes (Brian Downie) of Newnan; his daughter-in-law, Denise Harpe of Forsyth; his grandchildren, Jason Harpe (Heather) of Thomasville, Rachel Reeves of Forsyth, Allison Jones of Hillsboro, and Lauren Downie of Newnan; four great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. Condolences for the family may be left in the online guestbook at www.watsonhunt.com. Watson-Hunt Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.

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EUGENE "GENE" DUKES

September 5, 1938 - August 13, 2024