In Memory of Jon Robert Duke
February 25, 1966 - December 02, 2022
By Tanner Purdy
Early evening on February 1, cars packed into the snowy parking lot at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. People gathered to honor the memory of Rob Duke. More seats had to be brought in as people filled the morning audience. The service opened with a hymn, a heartfelt prayer, and an introduction from Rob’s friend and colleague Jeff May. As Rob’s brother, Mike Duke, recounted Rob’s life, attendees ripped into the tissue packets which kindly dispersed on every third seat. The carrying theme was that of Rob’s connection and caring for other people. He made a personal impact on every community he was part of. Before earning his doctorate and moving to Fairbanks, he spent 20 years in the police force. His colleagues nicknamed him Priest, because of the way he approached people. “He didn’t approach people like a cop,” said Mike, “he was focused on guiding people.” Mike recounted stories of Rob taking personal time to help troubled youth and adults in his community steered in a different direction. Rob had a true gift of being able to see the best in people.
Sniffles and tissues dotted the room as a slideshow of Rob’s life in moments cycled by. His daughters shared times their father had helped, inspired, and bonded with them. They shared how he’d passed on his love for rock music and cars. He also passed on a love for life, and incredible perseverance. He never gave up in the face of failing health, continuing to teach and work as much as he could. He stayed positive and strong, looking at death as “only a moment,” before moving on to heaven. The service was concluded with prayer and a hymn, the room standing in heavy sadness and singing together with love.
After the ceremony, I had the opportunity to speak with Jeff May about what Rob brought to the UAF community. His faith in people and their ability to change led him to teach and practice Restorative Justice. In 2014 he joined a team of UAF staff and community justice officials to bring a restorative justice program to Fairbanks. After years of meetings, they started taking cases in 2018 with Duke acting as Coordinator for the program. Overseeing such community projects didn’t stop Duke from connecting with people moving through the program. “Rob was really good at tailoring community work service to something that would be meaningful to [the offender],” said May. His focus was not on punishment, but on making a long-lasting change in someone’s life path.
He brought just as much care and attention to his teaching career. “One of Rob’s big strengths was his ability to connect with students, and to help them feel important,” May explained. The busyness and pressure of academia can put a lot of pressure on students. Duke’s classes were structured to prioritize learning and understanding over heavy workloads or test grades. He made learning accessible to all students and tailored his material to work for many different learning styles. More than that, he truly made an effort to connect with and learn from his students, developing a father-figure relationship with many of them.
Rob made a resounding impact on everyone around him in his life. He spread compassion in a world where personal connection becomes more of a rare gem every day. He will be remembered for his patience, strength, and guidance. When asked if there was anything he thought Rob would like to impart, May stated, “Don’t ever sell yourself short of your dreams.” Anyone who knew Rob wishes they had gotten more time with him, but we will carry on with the strength of his memory.