Lowell was born Oct 18, 1947, in Victoria, the 8th of ten children. His mother gave him the name Lowell from a family who lived near them in the Bloomington Humble camp. The family moved from Goliad to Wharton shortly after he was born. He went to school in Wharton until 1966 when he joined the United States Marine Corp where he served three tours in Vietnam. He retired from the Marine Corp in 1987 as a Master Sgt. After serving his country, Nick Kuehner, a close friend who served with Lowell in Vietnam, put in a good word for him with Denny Copeland at Word Music. Denny hired him and they became close friends and coworkers over the next 15 years in Waco and another couple years in Andersonville, SC until moving to his sister Carol’s in Canton in 2004. He loved working in, around and with the people of Canton’s First Monday Trade Days. There he bought and sold antiques until finally succumbing to an illness that beset him the last six months of his life.
Lowell was known to many of his friends as “Lee” and his family called him “Boogie”, a nickname given to him by his father because of the dancing he did in his baby bed. This talent was frequently displayed while washing the dishes for his parents or dancing with his sister, Carol, who said he was the “best” dance partner she ever had. He was honest, hardworking and loyal with a servant's heart. He made friends easily and never met anyone he didn’t like. He rarely missed the “brother’s” poker game, a tradition started by their father with his sons and son-in-laws which they continued well after their father’s death.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Edwin Fox Duke and Velma Daisy Goates, his brothers Joe Palmer and Victor James (both also Vietnam Vets) and nephew, John Bedford Duke. He is survived by sisters, Carol Koym of Canton, Katherine Louise Cathey of Spring and brothers, Edwin F Jr. of San Antonio, John Bedford of Goliad, Robert Lee of Lane City, Leonard David of Spring, Henry Franklin Duke of Bastrop, their spouses and 23 nephews and nieces.
Graveside services will be conducted with full military honors at the Houston National Cemetery on Veteran’s Memorial Ave. Honorary pallbearers will be Brothers, Eddie, Robbie, Davey, Frankie, nephew Lenny, and grand nephew Deryk Koym.
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