Lamar Duke

Rev. Freddie Lamar Duke, age 69, died on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, surrounded by family at his daughter's home in New Jersey, following a brief, but intense battle with cancer. He passionately ran the race God laid before him with faith, hope, and love. He loved spending time with his family and watching college football, but more than anything, his greatest passion was sharing his faith in Jesus Christ with others.

Born August 11, 1950, in Cullman, Alabama, Lamar was the son of the late Freddie and Vera (Rainwater) Duke. He graduated from West Point High School in 1968 and attended Florence State College (now University of North Alabama) and University of Alabama before graduating with a Bachelor’s degree from Mobile College (now University of Mobile) and a Masters of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Lamar surrendered to vocational Christian ministry in college and was licensed by Seventh Street Baptist Church in Cullman, Alabama, then ordained by Sage Avenue Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama. He spent nearly 50 years devoted to serving Jesus by shepherding and equipping the local church in various roles and locations, always asking God to use him to help "increase the population of heaven and decrease the population of hell."

His first pastoral role was as Youth Pastor at Sage Avenue Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama, before being called to pastor several churches, including: Little River Baptist Church (Uriah, Alabama), Lewiston Baptist Church (Kentwood, Louisiana), Jerusalem Baptist Church (Hammond, Louisiana), First Baptist Church, Central (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), Absecon Baptist Church (Absecon, NJ), and Cresthill Baptist Church (Savannah, Georgia).

The second half of Lamar's ministry was marked by new challenges and opportunities. He answered God's call to church planting when he founded South Effingham Community Church in Guyton, Georgia, serving as Founding and Senior Pastor for six years. He then served as Associational Missionary for the Baptist Association of Southwestern Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Director of Missions for the Baptist Convention of New York in Syracuse, New York.

Lamar's final ministry assignment brought him back to his home state to serve as the Lead Church Planting Strategist for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions in Montgomery, Alabama. In this ultimate role, as he had his entire adult life, Lamar served as a catalyst to share God's vision, challenge and invite others to participate, and mobilize people to pursue the Lord's Great Commission, specifically through the planting of new churches.

Lamar is survived by his loving wife of over 49 years, Dolly; daughter Cheri Witmer and her husband, Eric, of Galloway, New Jersey; son Tommy and his wife, Amber, of Savannah, Georgia; six grandchildren: Christina Milza(Joey), Jonathan Witmer, Dylan Witmer (Allie), Savannah Witmer, TJ Duke, and Koty Duke; two great-grandchildren: Gracie Milza and Andrew Milza, and another great-grandson on the way.

A memorial service will be at 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 14, in the Stakely Sanctuary at First Baptist Church Montgomery, located at 305 South Perry Street, Montgomery, AL 36104.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be sent to the 'Lamar Duke Church Planting Fund' c/o The Baptist Foundation of Alabama, P.O. Box 241227, Montgomery, AL 36124 or www.TBFA.org/give .