Ernestine Duke

Ernestine Garrison Duke, 93, passed from this life into the loving arms of God on December 29, 2018. Funeral Services will be held 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at the Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors Chapel in Whitney. Interment will follow at 1:00 p.m. at the Myrtle Cemetery in Ennis, Texas. A visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 1, 2019 at the funeral home.

Ernestine was born in Navarro County, Texas to Elmer Caswell and Ruby Lee (Lane) Garrison on January 18, 1925. She graduated from Barry High School in 1943 and married Burl E. Duke and they made their home in Ennis, Texas. She was a devoted wife, mother to three children and was employed at Ennis Business Forms before retiring and moving to Whitney, Texas. She was a member of Anthony Drive Baptist Church in Ennis and Prairie Valley Baptist Church in Whitney. Her hobbies were reading, quilting, camping with her family, bingo and domino games with friends at the Ennis Senior Center and later at Town Hall Estates in Whitney.

Ernestine was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Ruby Garrison, her husband, Burl Duke, six siblings: Elmerene Hinkle, Arlea Spicer, Robert Garrison, Loneita Morehead, Carl Dean Garrison, and Joyce Carter. Also preceeding in death are a grandson, Nathan Cade Hightower, a granddaughter, Megan Mason, and a son-in-law, Michael Hightower.

She is survived by her son, Alan Duke and wife, Glenda of Whitney; daughters, Linda Hightower Robinson and husband Gerald of Bedford and Patsy Escobar and husband Cleto of Whitney. She was a loving grandmother with 11 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchidren. She was blessed with many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.

A special thanks to the staff and caregivers at Town Hall Estates and Providence Hospice in Whitney.

Viewing and Visitation

Tuesday January 1, 2019 , 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM at Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors in Whitney

Funeral Service

Wednesday January 2, 2019 , 10:00 AM at Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors in Whitney