Albert Bruce Duckett, Sr.

Albert Bruce Duckett, Sr., after 80 years, has finished his work on this earth in Ocean Springs and gone home to be with his Lord Jesus Christ on Tuesday, February 11, 2020. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 56 years, Alice Pulliam Duckett, his daughters, Nancy Alice (Mrs. Drew) Allen, Merrill Anne (Mrs. John) Stahura, his son, Albert Bruce Duckett, Jr., and one grandson, Isaac John Stahura. He is also survived by two nephews, Richard Albert Frazier and Kenneth Bruce Frazier of St. Louis, Missouri and their wives and children. He was preceded in death by his sister, Helen Merrill Duckett Frazier Spivey and his parents, Helen Pauline Uhalt Duckett and Albert Duckett of Biloxi, MS. Bruce, as he was known to all his friends, was born on February 8, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan and was raised in Biloxi. After graduating from Biloxi High School (1957) and Mississippi State University (BS 1962) he and Alice moved to Ocean Springs where he worked for Ferson Optics, Inc. as an engineer, sales manager and later retired as Plant Manager in 1990. Bruce then joined Morton International, as a Plant Manager of the Advanced Materials Division in New Iberia, LA, later relocated to Greenville, South Carolina to manage Morton’s water based polymer Greenville Plant then returned home to his beloved Ocean Springs. Bruce was a faithful member of The First Presbyterian Church of Ocean Springs serving as a Sunday school teacher, a deacon, an elder, a trustee and later as a Commissioned Lay Pastor. He served as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Vernal, MS for two years and a chaplain at “The Gardens” assisted living center in Ocean Springs for many years. Bruce was also active in his community serving as chairman of the Ocean Springs Zoning Adjustment Board, chairman of the Ocean Springs Planning Commission, chairman of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority, member of the Hancock Bank Jackson County Advisory board, member of the Walter Anderson Museum board, member of The Friends of the Mary C. O’Keefe Center for the Arts and Education, was a charter member and commodore of the Ocean Springs Yacht Club and a charter member and chairman of the West Jackson County Habitat for Humanity. Bruce was an avid sailor, racing dinghies, Penguins, Hobie Cats, and cruising sailboats. He and his family enjoyed many boating trips along the Gulf Coast and on the Tennessee-Tombigbee waterway traveling as far as Nashville and Knoxville, TN. In his spare time, he dabbled in rental real estate for many years renovating several historic homes in Biloxi and Ocean Springs. A memorial service will be held at The First Presbyterian Church in Ocean Springs on Saturday, February 15 at 11am. Visitation will be from 10am until 11am. A private family internment will follow the service in the family burial site in Biloxi. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to The First Presbyterian Church of Ocean Springs. The Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.