Wellington Lyman Way, Jr., known as “Duke,” died peacefully at home in Huntsville of natural causes March 22, 2021. Born in Hammond, Louisiana on April 14, 1938 to Wellington Lyman Way and Lillian Ruth Holley Way, Duke earned a BS degree at LSU before moving to Huntsville in the early 1960s to work as an engineer in support of the space race. Always a creative soul, Duke was active in community theater, visual arts, poetry, storytelling, and above all, music. As a multi-instrumentalist and composer, Duke released his first album, “Alligator Wings,” at the age of 76, and a second album soon after, through Startlingly Fresh Records. He performed his original jazz suite “Johnny the Lip” live at Roberts Hall at the University of Alabama Huntsville in 2015 with the participation of UAH’s jazz faculty. He studied hand drumming with Babatunde Olatunji, and for many years provided the beats for dance classes, as well as joining the Sunday drum circles in Big Spring Park as long as he was able. Duke leaves behind a circle of friends and fellow musicians who will remember him with great fondness. A private celebration of his life will be planned at a later date.
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Duke was a good friend at LSU. He is fondly remembered by John and Rae Williamson from University Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge.