JAMES WILLIAM (JIM) DUKE

DUKE, JAMES WILLIAM (JIM) October 10, 1934 – January 17, 2020 With great sadness we announce the death of James William (Jim) Duke: pilot, husband, father, horseman.

Strong and determined, Jim bravely recuperated from a stroke in 2017, only to die unexpectedly on January 17, 2020 of a heart attack after an enjoyable holiday in Nebraska. Jim Duke was born on October 10, 1934 in Joly Township, Ontario, the third child of ten born to Pearl Irene Basso and Albert Edward Duke. Jim grew up on his family’s mixed farm where his father worked and bred pure-bred Percheron horses. In 1946 the family moved to a farm near Fordwich, Ontario. His father’s sudden death in 1949 forever changed Jim’s life.

As a young man, Jim worked construction with E & E Seegmiller, helping to build the Sarnia airport and bypasses along Highway 7 across Ontario. His passion, though, was flying. Jim took lessons from Sarnia Air Services while working on the airport and soloed in 1958. Jim received his Radio Operator’s Certificate in 1962, and obtained his Commercial Pilot’s Licence at Central Airways, Toronto Island Airport in 1963. In 1964, Jim attended the Agricultural Aviation Academy in Minden, Nevada, earning his Agricultural Pilot Rating and completing courses in Agricultural Spraying and Dusting, Aerobatics, and U.S. Instructor on: PA-25(235) Pawnee; PA-18 Sprayer, J-3 Sprayer, J-3 Duster, 220 H.P. Stearman, and 450 H.P. Stearman. Jim was the first Canadian to complete the Aerobatics course at this school. From 1964-67, Jim worked at Guelph Air Services as an Instructor and Charter Pilot on single engine Apache and Beech 18 (Twin Beech) aircraft.

During spraying season, Jim worked for Wheeler Airlines in St. Jovite, Quebec, flying a 450 H.P. Stearman in the New Brunswick spruce budworm operation. After his marriage to his first wife, Donna Elaine Williams, Jim moved to Austin Airways in Moosonee, Ontario, and operated a Canso PBY-5A flying boat. From 1967 to 1973, Jim worked for Atlantic Aviation (later Innotech Aviation), based in Toronto and then in Montreal. There he added the Douglas DC3 (Ford Motor Company), Hawker Siddeley HS 125 (Bank of Commerce), and Beechcraft King Air (DuPont of Canada) to his list of aircraft types. In 1969 the joy and light of his life appeared: daughter Katharine Annette Duke. A deeper bond between father and daughter is rarely found. From 1973 to 1978, Jim flew for Kruger Pulp and Paper out of Montreal on their Mitsubishi MU2, Fairchild F-227, and de Havilland Beaver on wheels, floats, and skis. Company President, Gene H. Kruger, and the culture of Quebec profoundly influenced Jim. Mr. Kruger valued honesty, fairness, and discretion, qualities Jim carried the rest of his life. As part of his work for Kruger, Jim flew the Quebec Nordiques hockey team for 3 years while they were part of the WHA.

An avid athlete, Jim enjoyed skating with the team on mornings while on the road. Jim returned to Innotech Aviation (later ExecAire, Inc) in Montreal in 1978 to fly an IAI Westwind 1123 (DuPont Canada). In 1980, Innotech moved Jim to Vancouver as Chief Pilot on an HS 125 (British Columbia Resources Corporation). Innotech transferred Jim to Toronto in 1983 to fly DuPont of Canada’s new IAI Westwind 1124. Following Jim and Donna’s divorce, Katharine came to live with Jim in Ontario. From 1987 to 1993, Jim also flew HS-125s for Samuel, Son & Co., and for a consortium of business including Rogers Cable and Royal Trust. In 1989, Jim married Janine M Carter from Nebraska, a 30-year union that ended too soon. In 1993, Jim started Duke Pilot Services, and in 1994 joined Chartright Air Inc. In 1997 he moved to Samuel, Son & Co to fly their Lear 55. Jim retired from flying in 2007. With horses ever in his mind and soul, Jim purchased part of a Thoroughbred colt in 1992.

Thus began a 21-year Thoroughbred horse breeding and racing venture with his wife, Janine. Horses to make the races included Robidoux (1992), Alaround Pleasure (1993), Kinuseo Falls (2000), James Bay (2002), and Kirriemuir (2003). We wish to thank Dr. Joel Eisen, Dr. Edward Mednick, Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, Castra Bahadoor and Mildred Millora at MedRehab Group Georgetown, Lisa Henry D.Pod.M. at the Milton Foot Clinic, and the many LHIN-provided Paramed Personal Support Workers, especially Anne-Marie, Mabel, Olu, and Veronica, for their excellent care of Jim. The ER staff at Georgetown Hospital exhibited great expertise and compassion during Jim’s final crisis. The nursing staff on the Medical/Surgical ward orchestrated as peaceful a passing as one could wish, especially since Jim fought against death almost the whole way.

Jim is survived by his wife Janine and his daughter Katharine, his sisters Marion Duke, Betty (Jim) McArthur, his brothers Donald, Malcolm (Mac) (Adrienne), and Norman (Gaile McGregor), nieces and nephews. Jim was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers David and Gregory and his sisters Helen (Norman) Miller and Jeenne (Jim) Hooper.

Friends will be received at the Jones Funeral Home, 11582 Trafalgar Road, Georgetown, on Saturday, January 25, 2020 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.

A Memorial Service will be held in the Chapel at 11:00 a.m. Memorials can be sent in Jim’s name to the Georgetown Hospital Foundation. To send expressions of sympathy, please visit www.jonesfuneralhome.co