Lois Irene (Mowry) Duke

DUKE, Lois Irene (Mowry)

Lois went to her heavenly reward on July 4, 2021. She was born on April 18, 1919. She was preceded in death by her parents Elza P and Edna Ruth (Heigher) Mowry, her husband of nearly 70 years Russel, and her daughter Vivian Nuse-Ballinger. She is survived by her son, Gary (Nancy) Duke, sister Dolores (Gene) Pequignot, brother, Wilbur, 5 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren and 9 great-great grandchildren. In addition to helping with farming, she loved gardening and raising dahlias. For 7 years, she dressed 250 chickens weekly for Saturday street market in Dayton. She worked in churches as janitor. She taught 4-6 yr.-olds and teenagers. She was a church clerk and on the Nurture Commission. She sang in choirs and for weddings and funerals. She was Executive Secretary 27 years at Inland, GMC. At lunch time, she handmade ties for her husband (at one time he had about 100). For 18 yrs. she volunteered at the Radio Reading Service at Univ. of So. Florida, Tampa recording material for those with poor vision. She was also president of Preble County World Council of Churches for two years. She had a Ceramic-Plastercraft Shop (Duchess Studio) about 10 years and had booths at the Preble County Fair and Pork Festivals for 12 years. She enjoyed oil painting (winning "Best of Show" at Preble County Fair in 1982). She was devoted to providing her family with balanced meals. She has embroidered quilts and helped quilt them and others at church. She has crocheted numerous doilies, tablecloths and baby afghans. She also enjoyed writing children's stories--for several years, every Sunday she wrote letters to each of (then) five great grandchildren. She also helped at "The House of Bread" feeding the homeless. She enjoyed participating in Sinclair College courses "Learning to Write Memoirs." She loved fishing, once (alone) catching a 3-foot hammerhead shark in the Gulf of Mexico. She was known to neighbors as "the fisher lady". She loved to travel--having been to all but two states in contiguous states plus Alaska. She and her husband visited her sister on St. Kitts Is., plus other islands and through the Panama Canal. She traveled (alone) via Belgium and Germany to Harare, Zimbabwe, Africa and Mauritius Is. Also (alone) to Australia and New Zealand. She has visited Israel and Cairo, Egypt. She has touched all but one continent (Antarctica). Her philosophies: Who if not you? When if not now? – and – If I don't use my head, someone else will. A Family Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date.