Obituary of Leroy Eugene Duckett

Leroy Eugene Duckett “Jack” was born March 4, 1948 in Deptford, New Jersey to the late John Wesley and Helen nee Tull Duckett. He was educated in the Deptford Township School District, graduating from Deptford High in 1966. He attended Howard University majoring in Marketing. While at Howard he pledged Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship where he was as charter member of the Bison Chapter. He furthered his education at the Wharton School of Business when he returned home to help care for his sick parents. Leroy joined Campbell AME Church, Woodbury, NJ at an early age. He was active in the youth church, Men’s Usher Board, the Lay Organization, and he served as a Trustee. Through his church he envisioned giving some sort of aid to the young people of the community. He started and served as the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Margaret S. Washington Award Fund. This foundation provided monetary assistance to every student within the community perimeter who was enrolled in higher education after high school. Under his leadership over $12,000 has been awarded. Leroy transferred his membership to Bethel AME Church, Woodbury in 1992. Leroy continued serving as a Sunday School teacher, trustee and in the Lay Organization. He was very active in the Lay Organization serving as the Third Vice President of the New Jersey Conference and as the Credentials Chairperson for the First Episcopal District for many years. This afforded him the opportunity to serve as Credential/Registration chairperson on the connectional level. In 1992 Leroy served his church as a delegate to the General Conference which was held in Orlando, Florida. At Bethel, Woodbury Leroy was a lay leader; often starting off the devotions with a hymn. He would greet those in the church making them feel at home. Leroy truly enjoyed his church family. Always willing to help where needed. Most dear to him was the time spent with the Men’s Fellowship. It was a great fellowship where men of all ages came together to eat, laugh, and just talk. He looked forward to gathering with the men of Bethel just to “talk”. This outreach also came with the men singing as the men’s choir. He stood proud with his fellow brothers singing songs to the glory of the Lord. In July 1993 Leroy attended the Connectional Lay Organization Biennial in Columbus, Ohio. There he met a lady from the Fourth Episcopal District; upon his return home he talked about that lady; he married that lady on November 12, 1994; that lady was Wanda Lynette Davis; and as he stated so often “the rest is history”. Leroy worked as a Business Consultant, in Real Estates Sales, as a head salesperson in the men’s department of Lord & Taylor, Philadelphia and finally as the lead concierge at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 18th and Market Street in Philadelphia; today it is known as the Sonesta Hotel. Always believing in entrepreneurship he started Fantasia Greetings in 1988; a modestly price gift that he made and sold to hospital gift shops around the country. He is a former member of Corinthian Lodge #37 F&AM, Woodbury, NJ; DeHugo Consistory and Zamora Temple #73 both of Camden, New Jersey. On Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 6:34 am, Leroy departed this life to enter eternal rest with the Lord. Leroy is preceded in death by his parents, John Wesley and Helen (Tull) Duckett; his brother, Wesley Edwin Duckett and his sister, E. Celita Duckett. He leaves to survive, his wife, Wanda L. Duckett; brother-in-love, Willie (Grace) Houston, TX; nephews, Willie Earl (Courtney) Davis, Fort Shaw, SC, Ethan Lamar (Cheryl) Davis, Houston, TX and David Edwin Duckett; close as sisters, Dolly Calloway Reed and Penny Calloway Torrence, and the entire North Woodbury Community; and a host of friends. (This was penned by Leroy in April 2020)