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The family of Brian D. Duke uploaded a photo
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
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L Jean posted a condolence
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Sincere condolences for your loss. Proverbs 17:22 says "a joyful heart is good medicine", therefore, may precious memories bring you joy and warm your heart. May you receive empathy, comfort and support from family and friends now, and as long as it is needed. Another source of comfort that is available any time day or night, is our loving Heavenly Father, and he is only a prayer away. Psalm 65:2 calls God the "Hearer of prayer", and Psalm 145:18 says "he is near to all those calling on him". Revelation 21:4 says " and he (God) will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more...." The tears spoken of in this Scripture are not tears of happiness and joy, but tears of mourning, outcry, pain and sorrow. 1 John 4:8 says "God IS love". It is that love that moved him to send his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, as a ransom sacrifice so those who have fallen asleep in death might have the hope of the resurrection, and that hope is found at Acts 24:15; and Isaiah 33:24 speaks of a time in the not too distant future, when "no resident will say "I am sick"". May Jehovah, the Father of tender mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our trials (2 Corinthians 1:3,4), comfort you in your time of need.
J
JoAnn Stormo posted a condolence
Thursday, April 24, 2014
JO ANN'S EULOGY TO BRIAN - PART I
IT IS WITH A HEAVY HEART THAT I SAY FAREWELL TO MY BROTHER-IN-LAW BRIAN. BRIAN WAS A PART OF OUR FAMILY FOR 26 YEARS. I REMEMBER WHEN WE ALL FIRST MET HIM - HE WAS SO YOUNG AND FULL OF LIFE - WE THOUGHT HE LOOKED A LITTLE LIKE BRUCE WILLIS - THAT IS WHEN BRUCE WILLIS ACTUALLY HAD HAIR!
BRIAN SEEMED A BIT UNUSUAL TO ALL OF US, BUT WE EMBRACED HIM ALL THE SAME. YOU SEE BRIAN WAS NOT YOUR TYPICAL PERSON… HE DANCED TO THE BEAT OF HIS OWN DRUM.
HE DEFINITELY HAD SOME QUIRKY WAYS AND A SENSE OF HUMOR THAT WAS HARD TO UNDERSTAND AT TIMES, BUT ONCE YOU GOT TO KNOW HIM, YOU KNEW THAT HE WAS A GENUINE PERSON AND KIND PERSON.
AND IF YOU WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE HIS FRIEND, YOU KNEW THAT HE WAS A LOYAL PERSON. MANY OF HIS FRIENDS, SOME OF WHOM ARE HERE TODAY, HAVE KNOWN HIM FOR THIRTY OR FORTY YEARS.
IT DIDN'T TAKE MUCH TO MAKE BRIAN HAPPY. HE WAS A SIMPLE MAN WITH SIMPLE PLEASURES.
GAIL & BRIAN WERE INTRODUCED BY FRIENDS AND THEY QUICKLY FELL IN LOVE. BRIAN LIVED ALONE IN HIS LITTLE HOUSE IN LINCOLN PARK WITH HIS DOG MUGS.
WITHIN A YEAR THEY MOVED IN TOGETHER AND WERE PLANNING A WEDDING.
AND SO IT BEGAN…THE MERGING OF THE CAPUTO AND DUKE FAMILIES.
NEITHER ONE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE GETTING INTO!
THEY SAY WHEN YOU MARRY SOMEONE YOU MARRY THEIR FAMILY. HOW TRUE THAT WAS GOING TO BE. AT THAT TIME, MY MOM WAS STILL ALIVE, BUT GAIL WAS IN CHARGE OF PLANNING ALL THE HOLIDAYS. SO NOW WE WERE ABOUT TO SPEND OUR FIRST HOLIDAY WITH BRIAN AND HIS FAMILY. THE GOOMBAHS MEET THE MEDIGANS!
I REMEMBER ALL 25 OF US SQUEEZING INTO BRIAN'S LITTLE HOUSE FOR AN EASTER DINNER.
GAIL HAD BEEN PREPARING FOR DAYS…DETERMINED TO CONVERT BRIAN'S MAN CAVE INTO A PLACE ACCEPTABLE FOR THE OCCASION.
SHE DIVVIED UP THE FOOD ASSIGNMENTS. I WAS IN CHARGE OF THE ANTIPASTO.ANGELA WAS TO GET THE MONICOTTI…GAIL WAS MAKING THE GRAVY…THE MEATBALLS, THE PIZZAGAIN.
WE WERE ALSO HAVING HAM, POTATOES, SALAD, AND OH AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE TRADITIONAL STUFFED PEPPERS AND ARTICHOKES. ANYONE WHO'S ITALIAN KNOWS WHAT GOES INTO PLANNING A HOLIDAY.
• BUT THE DUKES WERE IRISH, GERMAN AND ENGLISH….
• THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT AN ANTIPASTO WAS
• THEY DIDN'T TOUCH THE MONICOTTI OR MEATBALLS.
• PROBABLY DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE RED STUFF ON THE TABLE WAS THE GRAVY, BECAUSE GRAVY IS SUPPOSED TO BE BROWN.
• THANK GOODNESS WE HAD HAM & POTATOES - OR THEY WOULD HAVE STARVED.
• YES AND THEY LEFT LONG BEFORE DESSERT- NOW WHO WOULD EVER PASS UP GAIL'S DESSERTS? BUT THEY WEREN'T LIKE US, THEY WERE NOT THE TYPE TO LINGER HOURS OVER A DINNER TABLE.
YES THE MERGING OF THE 2 FAMILIES WAS A BIT OF CULTURE SHOCK FOR EVERYONE, BUT IT CONTINUED FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. WE ALL EVENTUALLY ADAPTED TO EACH OTHER.
BRIAN WAS SO PROUD OF HIS WIFE, HIS HOME AND EVERYTHING THEY WERE BUILDING TOGETHER AND HE TOOK EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT WITH HIS FAMILY.
HE PUT GAIL UP ON A PEDESTAL. SHE WAS LIKE HIS LITTLE TROPHY WIFE. IT WAS KIND OF SICKENING! OTHER THAN BEING PROUD OF HIS WIFE, BRIAN WAS ALSO SO PROUD OF HIS HOME. HE WAS METICULOUS AND PUT HIS HEART AND SOUL INTO MAKING THEIR HOME ON ANN ST. THEIR DREAM HOME.
J
JoAnn Stormo posted a condolence
Thursday, April 24, 2014
PART II - JO ANN'S EULOGY
WHEN THEY FIRST MOVED INTO THE HOUSE, IT STARTED WITH TEARING DOWN THE BACK PORCH, OPENING UP THE SECOND STORY ROOF AND ADDING A SECOND BASEMENT.
BRIAN WAS IN HIS GLORY AS HE SET ABOUT CRAFTING HIS NEW HOME WITH A HALF DOZEN OF HIS LONG TIME SHIRTLESS BUDDIES DANGLING FROM THE RAFTERS, WHILE TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF THE COMPLEX ROOF ANGLES THAT BRIAN DESIGNED.
TALK ABOUT AN OLD-FASHIONED BARN RAISING!
OF COURSE, MOST OF IT WAS TO MAKE GAIL HAPPY BUT THE ONE THING THAT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO HIM WAS CONVERTING THE GARAGE INTO HIS WORKSHOP.
IT WAS THERE THAT HE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS DOING WHAT HE KNEW BEST.
ANYONE WHO KNEW BRIAN - KNEW THAT HE WAS AN EXPERT CRAFTSMAN. (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WHEN HE SLICED OFF A FEW OF HIS FINGERS) HE TOOK SUCH PRIDE IN THE WORK HE DID. HIS WORK HAD TO BE PERFECT AND HE WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO CRITIQUE ANY WORK THAT WAS DONE BY SOMEONE ELSE WHEN HE WAS IN YOUR HOME!
WHETHER IT WAS INSTALLING KITCHEN CABINETS,SPACKLING OR REFINISHING A PIECE OF FURNITURE - HE WAS A PERFECTIONIST!
IF YOU WANTED A JOB DONE QUICKLY - BRIAN WAS NOT THE ONE TO CALL. YOU HAD TO BE PATIENT BECAUSE HE TOOK HIS TIME, SOMETIMES TOO MUCH TIME!
IN FACT, UNTIL I MET BRIAN I THOUGHTSPACKLING WAS A 3 STEP PROCESS. BRIAN'S SPACKLING WAS MORE LIKE A TEN DAY PROCESS.
BUT IN THE END- NO MATTER WHAT HE DID - IT WAS ALWAYS PERFECTION.
EVEN THE SMALLEST OF TASKS WERE A WORK OF ART - AND IF YOU EVER WATCHED HIM MAKE A HAM SANDWICH, YOU'D KNOW WHAT I MEAN!
YES, I WOULD DESCRIBE BRIAN AS A SIMPLE MAN WITH SIMPLE PLEASURES.
HE WAS A HOMEBODY - PERFECTLY CONTENT TO HANG OUT WITH HIS DOG AND WATCH HIS RECORDED SHOWS ON TV.
NEXT TO THE CORDLESS DRILL HIS FAVORITE INVENTION OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS WAS DVR PLUS. IT WAS PRICELESS TO HIM BECAUSE HE WAS ABLE TO RECORD 10 SHOWS AT ONCE. IT DROVE GAIL A LITTLE CRAZY, BUT MADE HIM HAPPY.
HIS PETS MEANT THE WORLD TO HIM. HE LOVED EACH OF HIS DOGS OVER THE YEARS. STARTING WITH MUGS, THEN CHARLEY, THEN DANTE, AND HIS CAT DUMPALUMPS. HIS DOGS WERE ALWAYS AT HIS SIDE - AT HOME, IN HIS TRUCK, AT A JOB-SITE. HE LOVED EACH OF THEM DEEPLY AND MOURNED THEIR PASSING AS IF THEY WERE A FAMILY MEMBER. FINALLY, THEY GOT BOCCI, A TINY SHIH TZU. BOCCI NEVER LEFT HIS SIDE THESE PAST FEW MONTHS WHEN HE WAS DEALING WITH HIS ILLNESS.
FROM HIS OBSESSIONS ABOUT FOOD TO HIS OBSESSIONS ABOUT TOY TRAINS & ANTIQUE TOOLS - THERE ARE SO MANY STORIES AND SO MANY THINGS I COULD CONTINUE TO SAY ABOUT BRIAN, BUT TO SUM IT UP. I'D HAVE TO SAY, THAT FOR HIM IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE…THE RELATIONSHIP HE HAD WITH GAIL, HIS PETS, GRAND KIDS, HIS SMALL CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, AND HIS TV SHOWS.
BRIAN KNEW HIS TIME WAS LIMITED.
AND HIS TIME ON THIS EARTH WAS SHORTER THAN MOST,
BUT HE'D BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU THAT HE HAD NO REGRETS NOR ANYTHING TO BE BITTER ABOUT.
HE LIVED HIS LIFE THE WAY HE WANTED TO.
HE CONTINUOUSLY TOLD EVERYONE HOW BLESSED AND LUCKY HE WAS TO BE MARRIED TO MY SISTER. HE ADORED HER.
AND HE KNEW HE WAS NEVER ALONE, THAT THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE THERE FOR HIM RIGHT TO THE END.
OUR FAMILY BECAME HIS FAMILY. WHETHER HE LIKED IT OR NOT!
WHENEVER WE TO TOGETHER - HE WOULD ALWAYS LEAVE EARLY.
IN FACT, HE TAUGHT MY HUSBAND CHRIS THAT SAME EARLY EXIT STRATEGY! BUT WE WERE NEVER OFFENDED BY THAT, WE KNEW THAT WAS JUST HIM AND WE ACCEPTED IT.
BUT THIS TIME BRIAN- WE WISH THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO LEAVE SO EARLY.
FORTUNATELY, WE BELIEVE THAT HE IS NOW IN A BETTER PLACE WITH HIS PARENTS AND ALL HIS FAMILY WHO PRE DECEASED HIM.
ON THE DAY BEFORE HIS DEATH, WHEN WE WERE ALL GATHERED AROUND SAYING OUR GOODBYES, DESPITE ALL THE PAIN HE WAS IN, HE STILL HAD HIS SENSE OF HUMOR AND LOOKED UP AT ALL OF US AND QUOTED THE GREAT ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER.
AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THOSE FAMOUS LAST WORDS THAT HE SAID … "HASTA LA VISTA BABY!"
G
Grace Ann lit a candle
Thursday, April 24, 2014
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Brian Duke......A man of Strength, Honor and Courage
From the day Brian was told he was very sick until April 19th, Brian showed a tremendous amount of courage. He accepted his fate ....having no regrets. His said he had a wonderful life, wife and enjoyed it to the fullest. He had a strong faith in God and felt comfortable knowing he was a good person...always helping and caring for others . He was so worried about Gail ... more than himself and he loved and honored her truly. Brian had a wonderful sense of humor ....dry but after you got to know him you appreciated it. He said what he felt and meant what he said. After 25 years of being in the family I can honestly say in the past two months I got very close with him. Close enough that He even yelled at me if I didn't do something the right way.
Brian fought a hard battle and even though he knew he was dying he fought up until his last courageous breath.
Brian ....you will truly be missed! I know that you are at peace now and out of pain. I am sure you will be looking down upon all of us as we remember you for the man you were.
Always in our hearts!
Love
Grace Ann
M
Michele posted a condolence
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Brian was married to my cousin Gail for the past 25 years. Unfortunately over this time, I did not really get to know him well. A few days before he died, I spent some time at his home. I did not have a personal conversation with him, but I listened as he spoke about his life and about not having any regrets. At that moment, I realized what I had missed and I am filled with regret. I knew immediately that Brian had an amazing sense of humor and a very dry delivery. Only two days from leaving this earth, he was making those around him smile. He accepted his fate with such dignity and grace. As I told my cousin, Brian was a class act. Heaven gained a special angel.
R
Rose Hooey posted a condolence
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
I met Brian Ice skating at Edgemont Park in Montclair in 1964. Then met him again in Verona at IHOP, where he worked with several of my friends. He introduced me to Victor and Cathy, who have been lifelong friends. Brian was part of a group of friends that have stayed in touch throughout the years. He came back in our lives in the 90's when he moved to Rockaway. He was person who you could not forget. His creative nature was truly inspirational. His lovely wife, Gail was his muse.
I know that he is working right now building a better gate for St Peter.
Bless you
Rosie Autorino Hooey
Stillwater,NJ
A
Anonymous posted a condolence
Monday, April 21, 2014
Teleflora's Quiet Expressions was purchased for the family of Brian D. Duke.
A
Anonymous posted a condolence
Monday, April 21, 2014
Teleflora's Quiet Expressions was purchased for the family of Brian D. Duke.
C
Carol Scheskowsky posted a condolence
Monday, April 21, 2014
For Brian's Family,
I met Brian at the International House of Pancakes in Verona, NJ when he was a cook back in the late 1960's early 70's. At that time he was very into natural foods and although he flipped those pancakes and eggs; he was a proponent of organic foods. He had such a wonderful. gentle spirit, sense of humor, love for music and calming demeanor. We were all young kids working our way through high school and college and we have such fond memories of all our IHOP workers. We were like a family and took care of each other and Brian's caring spirit was a big part of that feeling.
The world has lost one of the true "good guys". I will keep Brian and all of his family in my prayers.
With sympathy and friendship,
Carol Giampolo-Scheskowsky
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