The McDougald Funeral Home2211 N. Main StreetAnderson, SC 29621OBITUARY FLAG ORANGEBURG, SC William Robert 'Bill' Dukes, Jr.September 6, 1937-September 13,2006William Robert 'Bill' Dukes, Jr., 69, of 1025 Moss Avenue, Orangeburg, SC, died Wednesday, September 13, 2006. He died after a valiant battle with cancer at the Hospice House of the Upstate in Anderson, S.C. He was born on September 6, 1937 in Orangeburg, SC to William Robert Dukes, Sr. and Virginia Mims Dukes. He graduated from Orangeburg High School in 1955. He received a Bachelors of Arts degree from Newberry College and also earned a Masters of Education degree. He played baseball for Newberry College and was inducted into the Newberry Athletic Hall of Fame in 1980. He was drafted and played professional baseball for the Kansas City Athletic baseball organization from 1959 to 1964. In 1959, he married Dorothy Lois Sanders where together they had two children, William R. 'Tripp' Dukes III of Anderson and Donna Marie Cummings of Summerville. Also in 1959, Bill was called to serve our country in the U.S. Army from 1959-1962 during the height of the Berlin Crisis.After retiring from baseball and serving in the army, he returned to Orangeburg and began his long career in education. He taught, coached and was a principal in various school districts in Orangeburg County. He also served as head football coach at North High School. He retired from education in 1988. He was a member of the South Carolina Education Association, the South Carolina Secondary and Middle School Principals Association, the South Carolina Coaches Association and the Orangeburg Elks Lodge. In 1986, Bill began Safe-T Drivers Education School where he successfully taught thousands of students to drive over his twenty years of running his business. He derived great satisfaction knowing that he assisted many of the areas young drivers in attaining their drivers license. Bill served his community as a successful youth league volunteer baseball and football coach. He served as head coach of the Orangeburg American Legion Post 4 baseball team in 1966 and 1967 where his '66 team won the lower state championship. He served as an athletic officer for Post 4 from 1993 to 1995. Bill was a lover of sports, animals and the outdoors. He loved to hunt, fish, coach and attend ballgames of his children and spend time with his granddaughters, Marley and Ragan, on the Edisto River. Bill was passionate about his love and devotion to his family and friends. His friends were many and of those, many were friends since childhood. Bill's loyalty to friends and family was his most enduring quality.He was a member of First Baptist Church of Orangeburg.In addition to his family, Bill is survived by his sister, Virginia Dukes Kearse of Orangeburg and brother, Richard Eugene Dukes of Greenville. He was preceded in death by his father, William R. 'Bill' Dukes, Sr. his mother, Virginia Mims Dukes and by his sister, Sadie Lois Dukes who died as a child. Services are at 12:00 noon on Saturday at the Dukes-Harley Chapel, 3379 Columbia Road,Orangeburg. Burial will be in Memorial Park on Broughton, Orangeburg. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 pm Friday at the home at 1025 Moss Avenue, Orangeburg. The McDougald Funeral Home is handling arrangements in Anderson. A visitation was also held in Anderson on Thursday at the home of his son and daughter-in-law, Tripp and Karon Dukes. The family suggests memorials be made to The Hospice House of the Upstate, 1835 Rogers Road, Anderson, 29621. A message of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting www.mcdougaldfuneralhome.com.THE MC DOUGALD FUNERAL HOME is in charge of arrangements.