Frederick Elmore Duckett

Frederick Elmore Duckett of Rossville died on Wednesday, November 24, 2021. He was born in Chattanooga to Edwin and Trulla Mannis Duckett on February 4, 1936.

Fred attended Chattanooga schools through the eighth grade and graduated from Rossville High School in the class of 1954. He worked at the Peerless Woolen Mill during the summer after high school before attending LSU for one year studying music education.

He transferred to the University of Chattanooga to study pre-engineering for two years while working at Roxbury Carpet Mill and Super Tufter Machine Company. Mr. Duckett graduated from Auburn University in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering after working with Tennessee Valley Authority as an Engineering Cooperative student for eight quarters.

After graduation he worked at TVA in the Operation Planning Section in the Office of Power for 40 years. Fred specialized in the application of computers to power system generation control and remote control of substations and hydro plants. He retired from TVA in 1992 but continued to work as a contractor for eight more years.

Mr. Duckett served in the US Army Reserve for six years, including six months on active duty. After basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina he trained as an Army medic at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Fred was an excellent musician who was band captain for Rossville High and played trumpet and french horn in various groups, recently including the Scenic City Concert Band, Cadek Adult Orchestra, Midsouth Symphonic Band, American Legion Band, Ringgold Brass Quintet, and Something Special Jazz Combo. He was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church where he served as choir director and finance committee chairman for many years.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife of 53 years, Joy Anderson Duckett; daughter Susan Joy Duckett; brothers Edwin Buford Duckett, Jr and James Benjamin Duckett; half sister Elsie Hollifield.  Survivors include his son, Dale Duckett and granddaughter Rachel Duckett of Ringgold; special friend and companion Brenda Martin of Rossville; sister Christine Claytor of Canton, NC; sisters-in-law Reba Duckett of Chattanooga, Mary Ruth Hull of Rossville and Wanda Anderson of Taft TN; half brothers John Duckett of Chattanooga, and Mark Duckett of Philadelphia, PA; and numerous nieces and nephews.  

Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday December 5 in the funeral home chapel.

Interment will be in Tennessee-Georgia Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the MacDowell Music Club, 1509 Wood Nymph Trail, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750 or Midsouth Symphonic Band, 311 Garden Road, Chattanooga, TN 37419.

Visit www.heritagebattlefield.com to share condolences with the family.

The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Sunday December 5 at Heritage Funeral Home and Crematory, Battlefield Parkway.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.