Mr. Norman Charles Duquette

Col. (Ret.) Norman Charles “Duke” Duquette, of Anchorage, AK, and more recently of McLean, VA, died on March 17, 2015, at the age of 95. He was pre-deceased by his wife Patricia Helen in 1992. Norman, the son of Charles Edward Duquette and Rachel Cardin Duquette was born in West Warwick, RI. After graduating from La Salle Academy in Providence, Norman joined the Army Air Corps Cadet Program and began a lifetime of military service, aviation, and travel. Early in his career he was a flight instructor in Bryan, TX, at one of the first military schools to teach instrument flying. After World War II, Norman attended Brown University and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics. In 1954, he became Commander of an innovative Air Force Leadership Program for Non-commissioned Officers in Freising, Germany. He was an instructor at the Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, AL, and received his Masters of Science in Management at the University of Colorado. His career encompassed many years of leadership in manpower and organization at Edwards and Elmendorf Air Force Bases and the Pentagon. At the time of his retirement in 1971, he was the Alaskan Air Command Deputy Chief of Staff at Elmendorf. Among his honors are the Legion of Merit Medal and Meritorious Service Medal. After his military retirement, he joined Foster and Marshal brokerage firm and later Merrill Lynch.

An avid pilot for 40 years, Norman traded his pilot’s wings for a set of sails in the 1980s, and spent many years exploring Prince William Sound in his sailboat, the Penguin. He enjoyed skiing until his late seventies and was a generous host to family and friends at his vacation home at Aleyeska Ski Resort. He was also an enthusiastic bridge player, lifelong photographer and woodworker, grew beautiful orchids, and enjoyed traveling to foreign ports well into his eighties.

Norman belonged to the Anchorage Lions Club for more than 40 years. He was a past member of Daedalians, the Air Force Reserve, Optimist Securities Investment Club, and Sigma Iota Epsilon. He was a member of St. Anthony Parish in Anchorage.

Norman’s family will always remember him as loving, generous, and encouraging. He shared his wisdom with a twinkle in his eye, and was an inspiring father and role model for lifelong learning and living life to its fullest.

He leaves behind his sister Therese Duquette Smith of Providence, RI, his daughters Patricia Wallace of Alexandria, VA, Elizabeth Nelson and husband Duff of Norwich, VT, Suzann Duquette and husband Jan Enthoven of Barnet, VT; grandchildren Cassie Cataline and husband Scott of Charleston, SC, and Sean Creegan and wife Bronagh of Providence, RI; step grandchildren Ben, Matt, and Andrew Nelson; as well as his nieces and nephews, Linda McNally, Carol Schraeder, Peter Duquette, David Duquette, and Bobby Butler.

A funeral mass will be held in Warwick, RI, and a burial service with full military honors will be held in Anchorage, AK.