Diana L. (Dukes) Daniels

Diana Lynn Southgate Dukes Daniels was born on April 21, 1949, in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Herbert Southgate and June Elswick Southgate. When Diana was five her family moved from Takoma Park, Maryland to West Palm Beach. She spent her growing up years in West Palm, graduating from Forest Hill High School in 1967. She then attended classes at Florida Bible College.

Diana was predeceased by her parents, Herbert and June Southgate, her first husband, Ray Dukes, and her nephew David Southgate. She is survived by her second husband, David Daniels; her brother Ray Southgate and his wife Penny; her two children, Sheri Dukes McClelland (with her husband Dwayne McClelland) and Troy Dukes (with his wife, Lisa Priskulnik Dukes); and eight grandchildren (Jonas and Eliza McClelland, and Carrie, Christiana, Matthew, Sarah, Susana, and Abigail Dukes). She is also survived by two stepchildren, Debbie Daniels Filosa (with her husband Ray) and Becky Daniels Harris (with her husband Brandon) along with two step-grandchildren, Daniel Filosa and Mark Harris. She was loved and will be missed by all.

Diana trusted in Jesus Christ as her Savior at an early age and was active in the youth ministry of Calvary Baptist Church. At age 14, she met Ray Dukes and was immediately smitten. She and Ray were married in 1968 and began their life together. After Ray graduated from Florida Bible College in 1970, they moved to Paducah, KY where they led youth ministry for eight years. They returned to West Palm in 1978. Ray worked as a bi-vocational pastor for several years until he became full-time pastor of Lake Worth Bible Church in 1997, which then merged with Faith Bible Church in 2004 to became Grace Bible Church. He worked in that capacity for five years, while Diana directed the music program of the church. This continued until Ray’s death from a brain tumor in 2009. Diana continued to lead the music program even after Ray’s death.

In February of 2014, Diana met David Daniels, a widower and pastor of Frist Baptist Church of Palm Beach Gardens. They married in July of 2014, and Diana directed the music program of that church until Dave’s retirement at the end of December 2015. Dave and Diana enjoyed traveling and sharing life together for almost 11 years.

Diana was diagnosed with cancer in December 2023. After surgery in February 2024, the cancer unfortunately returned in September 2024. Diana continued to live gracefully with her diagnosis of terminal cancer, serving and glorifying her Lord and encouraging others. She passed into the presence of her Savior on June 17, 2025.

A visitation for Diana will be held Monday, June 23, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Dorsey-E. Earl Smith Memory Gardens, 3041 Kirk Road, Lake Worth, FL 33461. A visitation will occur Tuesday, June 24, 2025 from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM at Florida Gardens Baptist Church, 7800 Lake Worth Rd, Greenacres, FL 33467. A funeral service will follow at 1:00 PM at Florida Gardens Baptist Church. A committal service will then follow at Lake Worth Memory Gardens, 3041 Kirk Rd, Lake Worth Beach, FL 33461.

The family suggests that memorial donations be made in the name of Diana Dukes Daniels to Missionary Flights International or to Cure International.