Everett Hickman Duke III

Everett Hickman Duke III passed peacefully while surrounded with lots of love on April 5th.

Born in Nashville, TN in 1942, Trey spent a charmed childhood surrounded by siblings and cousins in “Dukeville”, his family’s compound on Murfreesboro Rd, before moving to Green Hills and attending Hillsboro High School. After almost graduating from University of Tennessee, he served proudly in the United States Army, winning all kinds of awards for stuff that ultimately kept him out of Vietnam and on the ground in Ft. Polk, Louisiana. He had a successful and storied career in pharmaceuticals before becoming a beloved rural route postman in College Grove, TN for many years. People always mistook him as Bobby Keyes, or Kenny Rogers, or Santa Claus. Trey would dress up as Santa while his Bronco sported a giant red nose and antlers. His Rudolph made of steel would carry him around the back roads on Christmas making sure all the Christmas packages arrived on time. He wrote colorful and verbose Christmas prose and left a copy in every mailbox.

Trey was was constantly making people laugh and none more than his darling bride of 44 years, Lynda.

He loved fast cars and motorcycles. He was a shark at the poker table, always beating his daughter at backgammon, and loved playing golf with his brother Johnny and his oldest friend, Frank. He was a sweet Southern charmer and animal whisperer. He would hand feed deer, squirrels, and birds. He was a fabulous storyteller, spinning tales of when he played jug in some juke joint with Bill Monroe back when Nashville had mostly dirt roads.

He was hilarious, adventurous, wild, loving, kind, extremely well read, artistic, fearless and bold..and he loved fried chicken.

Trey is predeceased by his brother John Duke, his mother Lois Castleman Duke, father Hickman Duke and cousin Alice Allen Spaulding. He leaves the love of his life, Lynda, his daughters - Jen (James) and Amanda, and sons - Phil and Billy (Wendy). His grandchildren, sister Nancy, sister-in-law Sally, niece Carrye (Eric) and nephew Josh (Emily). Cousins, countless friends and caregivers.

There will not be a formal funeral as being out in nature was his church, but there will be a gathering of family and friends in Nashville this fall.

Rest in peace to our beloved patriarch and proud son of the South. If you’d like to donate in his memory, please consider an organization that helps animals or veterans.

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