In lieu of flowers, family and friends of Ferdinand Francois "Duke" Dukaric who prefer to provide a memorial contribution may do so. The family will use these to honor Ferdinand Francois "Duke" Dukaric's life and memory. Please continue to keep the family in your thoughts throughout this challenging time.
Born on April 29, 1940, God created Ferdinand Francois “Duke” Dukaric after realizing that John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and Paul Newman just wouldn’t cut it. God had realized he could do better. He then broke that mold and there was never another like Duke. On September 19, 2026, after a long illness, Duke passed away peacefully at the home he designed and built surrounded by his family and friends who adored him. It had nothing to do with the LSU game, but rather his dismay that someone had lowered the thermostat below 76. That’s what did him in.
Born a free French citizen in Algeria, he would spend his first few months there and then relocate to his mother’s hometown in Austria right at the beginning of WWII. As the war ended, his family would ultimately make their home in Caracas Venezuela. For reasons he and his mother took to the grave, she shipped him off to military school in the states at the age of 17. He landed here speaking four languages fluidly, but not English.
Eventually he made his way down South where he would remain the rest of his life. He did learn the language and became a United States citizen. He went to LSU, met and married his first wife and had four children. Tragedy came way too soon. He lost his first wife very young, leaving him a widower with four kids. Several years later, after hounding a woman to go out with him, he would marry again, this time taking on a single mother with two kids of her own.
He would work 50ish years for the same company as a structural designer, making engineers look good. There are many bridges throughout Louisiana he helped design and he was also part of the design team for the Super Dome. The bulk of his last 20 or so professional years were spent at Shell Norco, a place he loved to work and would have stayed had it not been for the drive and declining health. He also needed to teach his grandchildren all the important things and keep them in line, occasionally running carpool and correcting transgressions according to his standards.
He was an avid hunter and fisherman, who could build or fix anything. If you needed a bolt from 1874, he had two, but good luck finding them. He was prone to bringing home things to fix, including a Ram Charger without an engine, and more than one dilapidated jeep. He loved to tinker and spent a lot of his free time out in the shed “fixing
something.” He was the one who took a million calls from daughters needing something repaired and he would come running. He often remarked he spent every weekend from 1984 to 1994 changing brake pads and clutches for daughters “who didn’t know how to
drive.” An extraordinarily smart man, who remembered every single thing he ever read, he was as down to earth as they came, with a quick smile and a good story for everyone he met.
He was preceded in death by his son, Vincent Dukaric; his first wife, Marlene Dukaric; his parents, Ferdinand and Maria Dukaric; his sister, Anna Maria Dukaric; his in-laws Albert & Patricia Sommers; and three golden retrievers; Dixie, Dixie II and Dixie III.
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Nevon Dukaric, who was also his faithful caregiver these last three years; five daughters and their spouses; Suzanne Taylor (Kevin), Kimberly Heard, Michele Dukaric (Trent), Angela Page (Phil), and Brandy McIntire. Also left to mourn his loss are fourteen grandchildren who believed he hung the moon even though he may have cussed a little doing so: Heather Tregue, Josh Taylor, Rachel Wright, Triston Blackmon, Kade Dukaric, Madison Popadic, Caitlin Mistretta, Hannah Page, Allison Hutchinson, Beau Blackmon, Quin Dukaric, Hunter McIntire, Carter McIntire, Andrew Page and their spouses; nine great grandchildren, with one more on the way, two brothers-in-law John Sommers (Patsy); Jeff Sommers (Carolyn); and one sister-in-law Chris Rispone (Johnny), and a host of nieces and nephews.
An honorable man with more integrity than one should rightfully have, he leaves a void that no one can fill. A life well lived, a life to be proud of. We trust he is waiting on the other side, cold beer in hand, with his son and his golden retrievers by his side.
The family would also like to thank his physicians, Pinnacle Hospice and Ms. Gloria for the compassionate care provided. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the charity of your choice.
A Memorial Service will take place on Friday, October 2, 2026, with visitation starting at 10:00 a.m. until the service at 12:00 p.m. at Ourso Funeral Home, 13533 Airline Hwy., Gonzales, Louisiana. Family and friends are invited to attend.