Millard "M. T." Duckworth

Millard "M. T." Duckworth, 74, of Jamestown Road, Morganton, NC died Monday, March 13, 2006 at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC. He was born August 21, 1931 in Burke County, NC, and was a son of Mary Bartles Duckworth of Morganton, and the late John Ervin Duckworth. He was a 1950 graduate of Morganton High School, and a retired employee of Great Lakes Carbon Corporation. Millard was a US Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War. He was a member of Hopewell Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and was active in all areas of church life. Millard was a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason and a K. C. C. H. with memberships in Catawba Valley Lodge #217 and Valley of Asheville Lodge. In the Valley of Asheville Lodge, he was presently the Master of Ceremony, a past member of the Advisory Conference, and had held other offices. He was a member of Oasis Shrine Temple in Charlotte where he was a past Ambassador and Trustee. Millard was a member and past President of the Burke County Shrine Club and a member of the Order of Jesters. He was a member and past Worthy Patron of the Mimosa Chapter #269, Order of the Eastern Star.

In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife of fifty years, Nancy Honeycutt Duckworth of the home; a son and daughter-in-law, Mark T. and Allison Duckworth of Lexington, NC; a daughter, Lisa Gail Duckworth of Asheville; and a granddaughter, Emily.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, March 16, 2006 at Hopewell Baptist Church with Rev. Homer Murdock and Dr. Joe Greene officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Masonic rites by the Catawba Valley Lodge #217, and military graveside rites by the Valdese American Legion Post #234 and the U.S. Marine Corps. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Sossoman Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children, c/o Burke County Shrine Club, P.O. Box 695, Morganton, NC 28680, or to the Scottish Rite Valley of Asheville Lodge, 80 Broadway, Asheville, NC 28801, or to Hopewell Baptist Church Building Fund, 1112 Hopewell Rd., Morganton, NC 28655.