Mary Eleanor Dukes Thompson, 87, a resident of Greenville, died Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2008 at the Antioch East Baptist Church at 10 a.m. on Old Stage Road in Greenville with Dr. Burney Enzor, Rev. Ronnie Boulware and Rev. Ricky Thomaston officiating.
Graveside services will be at Auburn Memorial Park, Auburn, at 3 p.m. The family will receive friends on Friday evening from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Dunklin & Daniels Funeral Home. Dunklin & Daniels Funeral Home Directing.
Mrs. Thompson is survived by husband, Byron “Mr. B” Thompson of Greenville, four daughters and sons-in-law; Peggy and Jay Gilkes of Madison, Sue and Larry Justice of Beulah, Jane and Peter Allen of Madison, Anne and Mitch Ingram of Auburn; step-son, Ralph and Barbara Thompson of Greenville, step-daughters: Reebie Jo and Wesley Henderson of Greenville, AL, Velecia and Dale Norris of Greenville, sister: Margaret (Ross) Goodwin of Braggs; sister-in-law, Jean Goodwin; grandchildren, Shelley Gould, Sarah Thurston, Paul Thurston, Laura Erwin, Phillip Allen, Claire Ingram, Will Ingram, Caroline Ingram, Mollie Grace Ingram, Laura Robbins, Leigh Powell, Lana Lundy; eight step-grandchildren, Louise Sullivan, Raymond Henderson, Deborah Campbell, Christy Norris, Tony Norris, Michael Gilkes, Lisa Gilkes, and Jennifer Gilkes; fourteen great-grandchildren; fourteen nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Thompson is preceded in death by husband of 25 years Ovid “Red” Dukes; sister, Katie Lane Brown; brother, Lewis Goodwin.
After graduating from high school in Fort Deposit, Eleanor attended business school.
She then worked at Standard Furniture Company until the birth of her first child.
For the next 20 years she lived in Auburn and stayed at home to raise her children.
She went back to work after this time and worked as an accountant secretary, nursery school teacher at Grace United Methodist Church, and as a secretary with EASE house.
She was active in many civic and church organizations.
She served as District President of American Business Women’s Association, as well as UMW officer at church.
She and her husband, Red and daughters were some of the first members of Grace United Methodist Church in Auburn, where she was very active in the church activities.
She remained an active member until her re-marriage to Byron in 1988.
She then became an active member of Antioch East Baptist Church until her move to Lee County in May, 2008.
After failing health, she moved to live with her daughters.
On October 29, 2008, she went to be with her Lord peacefully in her sleep with her family by her side.
Eleanor lived her life with honor and dignity with God and her family in the center. Online condolences may be made at dunklinanddaniels.com.
Dunklin & Daniels Funeral Home of Greenville Directing.