Wendell Jack "Duke" Ellington

WENDELL JACK "DUKE" ELLINGTON, age 87 of Little Rock, Ark. died Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011. He was born on Aug. 2, 1924 to his late parents Ausbun Ellington and Myrtle Wood in West Plains, Mo. and then raised in Peach Orchard and Heber Springs. Trained as a machinist through the National Youth Association, he was sent to Seattle, Wash. where he worked for Boeing Aircraft and in the shipyards. He joined the Army Air Corps June 2, 1943 and attended Butler University and the Lockheed Factory School. After serving in France and Germany, he returned to Arkansas where he was employed by the U. S. Postal Service. We will miss his great stories, secret ingredients and unconditional love. He is survived by his wife Maxine Ellington; daughter Jacquelyn; granddaughter, Kimberly Mooney; great-granddaughters, Searcy and Darby Mooney and sisters Willo Dean "Rusty" Davis and Margie Jefford. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31, 2011 at Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth Funeral Home, 5800 W. 12th Street, Little Rock, Ark. (501) 661-9111 with Pastor Gary Hollingsworth officiating. Burial will follow at Forest Hills Memorial Park. A visitation will be from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011 at the funeral home. To sign the online guest book, please visit www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com.