Kathleen Duke

Kathleen “Kathie” Duke passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at 80 years of age. A beloved mother, grandmother, wife, sister, and friend and her joy, love and happiness will be deeply missed by many.

Kathie was born in Rochester, Minnesota to Art and Millie Kleifgen, as the middle of five children. On April 6, 1968, Kathie married the love of her life, Malcolm Lyons Duke, at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Houston, Texas. They had two children, Robert “Rob” Malcolm Duke and Juliet “Julie” Duke Clark.

Kathie grew up in Houston, Texas attending St. Anne Catholic School and Marian High School. She went on to receive her Bachelor of Science Degree from Lamar University with a teaching certification in Speech Pathology. At Lamar, she was a member of the Cap and Gown Honor Society and Alpha Chi Omega Sorority. Later, she worked as a speech therapist in Beaumont, Texas for two years prior to having children. Nineteen years later, Kathie furthered her education in 1989 when she earned an elementary level teaching certificate in reading from the University of Houston-Victoria along with completing her master’s degree as a reading specialist. She was a highly regarded teacher for many years in the Dioceses of Victoria and Dallas before becoming a Library Specialist.

In 1966, Kathie met a young banker named Malcolm Duke on a blind date and within eighteen months they were married, embarking on their 48-year fairy tale journey together. While Malcolm excelled at his banking career, Kathie excelled at raising their two children. Being a believer in hard work, she was busy sewing any dress or costume you could ever want, growing vegetables, tending to her beautiful gardens, and quilting memories. She loved playing tennis and sailing with her family on the Texas Gulf Coast, never failing to bring along the best shrimp salad ever. She was a loyal friend to those that were lucky enough to be included in her life. Leading by example, she valued integrity and honesty. Every day we strive to emulate her marriage, her motherhood, her compassion, and her fierce passion for her grandchildren. The void she will leave is deep and vast; however, we know she is reunited with Malcolm, dancing together again, smiling from ear to ear.

Kathie is preceded in death by her parents Arthur Frederick Kleifgen and Mildred Gwendolyn Hovig Kleifgen, and her husband of 48 years Malcolm Lyons Duke. She will be greatly missed by her son Robert “Rob” Malcolm Duke and wife Jaime Brooke Duke of Denver, Colorado; daughter Juliet “Julie” Duke Clark and son-in-law, Eric Andrew Clark of Dallas, Texas; grandchildren Parker Duke Clark of New York, NY, Kathleen Marie Clark of New York, NY, and Charles Andrew Clark of Austin, Texas; her sister and brother-in-law Cindy and Steve Lubke of Sunrise Beach, Texas, Pam and Jerry Adams of Denver, Colorado; Pete and Lynn Kleifgen of Atlanta, Georgia; JoAnne Kleifgen of New York, New York.

All are welcome to attend a memorial service for Kathie at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, August 29, 2026, at Edgemere Senior Living located at 8523 Thackery Street, Dallas, Texas 75225.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to be made to the Visiting Nurses Association of Texas.