John J. Duclos

Mr. John J. Duclos, 83, of Blytheville, died Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011, at NEA Baptist Hospital in Jonesboro.

Born in Manila to the late Arthur Duclos and Clara Donner Duclos, he attended Gosnell Baptist Church. Mr. Duclos was a retired serviceman for Entergy. He also retired as a Lt. Colonel with the Army National Guard. Mr. Duclos was an assistant scout leader with the Boy Scouts, served on Gosnell City Council, and coached Bambino and Jr. Babe Ruth baseball and loved to play golf. He taught dancing in Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee for 35 years, which included square dance, clogging, line dance, couple dancing and ball room dancing. He called square dancing all the way to the challenge level and some of his dancing calls were published in the National Square Dance Book. He was always busy learning something new and wanted to share that knowledge with other people.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Christon Drew Duclos; two sisters, Hannah Duclos and Rosalie Sanderlin; and two brothers, Russell Duclos and Leon Duclos.

Mr. Duclos leaves his wife, Gay Helen McMillin Duclos;

A son John J. "Joey" Duclos II and his wife, Lisa of Blytheville;

Three brothers, Zachary "Jack" Duclos of Athens, Ga., Alvin Duclos of Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Leo Duclos of Crystal River, Fla.;

Two grandsons, Travis Duclos and wife, Brooke, and Ryan Duclos and wife, Lauren; and

Two great-grandchildren, Hadley and Hutch Duclos.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. today in Cobb Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Eddie Clemons officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery. The family received visitors from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Cobb Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gosnell Baptist Church, Gideon Bibles or St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. An online register may be signed at cobbfuneralhome.com