After an extended illness, Evelyn Louise Wiginton Duke, 82, became totally healed and met her Savior face to face on October 29, 2025. The youngest of thirteen siblings, she was born in Hamilton, AL on January 2, 1943, to Vallie A. and Lois Clark Wiginton who preceded her in death. She was a graduate of Hamilton High School where she took vocational cosmetology to become a hairdresser.
On October 13, 1962, Evelyn married Jackie Duke, the love of her life, and they shared over 63 wonderful years together as husband and wife. After getting married they moved to Amory, MS where Evelyn began her career as a hairdresser. She established many friendships over the years with the ladies who were her patrons and with her co-workers at Modern Beauty Shop and then Hair Patterns. She thoroughly enjoyed her work, which to her was not work at all but more of a service to the ladies whose hair she did. She retired from hairdressing in 2014 after almost 45 years of service in the community.
Evelyn loved to cook and entertain people in her home on Stevens Street. She especially loved the morning coffee time she shared with her neighbors. Besides entertaining her neighbors, she also loved cooking for visiting missionaries and pastors who would come to Amory First Alliance Church. She also enjoyed singing and could be heard singing in the kitchen while she cooked.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her 12 siblings: Velmon, Eva Dell, Lora Bell, Varnell, Ivan (IJ), Earnest, Edwin, Jessie, Dennis, Ralph, Billie Joe, and Janice; and infant daughter; Susan Allison Duke.
Left behind to cherish the memories of her are her husband, Jackie L. Duke, Amory; son, Louis Duke, Dallas, GA; daughter, Karen Bridges (Tim), Amory; several nieces and nephews, and too many friends to list.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Sunday, November 2, 2025 at 2:00 PM at E.E. Pickle Funeral Home in Amory, MS, with Dr. Lloyd Sweatt officiating. Visitation will be prior to the service at 1:00 PM. Burial will follow in Masonic Cemetery, Amory, MS with pallbearers being Johnny Burrow, Terry Duke, Ronnie Duke, Dennis Wiginton, Tommy Gann, and Mike Riley.
A special thank you is extended to the nurses and nursing assistants of Gentiva Hospice for their countless hours of care provided during Evelyn’s extended illness.
