C. B. Duke, IV

Charles Buford "Boots" Duke, IV, age 76, died on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center. Boots was born and raised in Kingsport and graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School in 1953. He then attended and graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1957 where he was the Sigma Nu fraternity president and on the varsity wrestling team. He married Betty Nelle Chambers in 1955. Boots was a member of First Presbyterian Church for more than 45 years.

Boots founded Hart Equipment Company in Madisonville Kentucky in 1957, a company that survives to this day. In 1960 he returned to Kingsport and joined Holston Glass Company with C.B. Duke, Sr. HGC grew from a local business to a multi-million dollar sales company that served the southeastern U.S. and beyond. HGC Piedmont, a wholly owned subsidiary of HGC, was opened in 2001 in Raleigh, NC, to serve the rapidly growing and expanded Carolinas market. Boots was president of HGC from 1967 until 1987. He turned the company over to the employees through an ESOP employee stock ownership plan. He was then CEO and Chairman until his retirement in 2005. In addition to his work at HGC, Boots was an investor and one of the founders of the Bank of Tennessee in 1974, where he remained an active director.

His various activities and accomplishments included Jaycee president, Kingsport Man of the Year in 1967. He was appointed to Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen where he served for 6 years, was the youngest person to serve in that capacity at the time and served as Vice Mayor of the City of Kingsport. Boots was an active member of the National Glass Marketing Association and Chairman of the southeastern section and member and director of Associated General Contractors of America. He was a Rotary Paul Harris fellow. Boots was a life member of the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce and served as Chairman of Economic Development and Chairman of the Kingsport Chamber Visitors Bureau. He was the East TN. Campaign Manager for Governor Winfield Dunn in both the primary and general elections. He served as Chairman on the TN. Pardon and Parole Board. Boots was licensed as Captain USCG with Ocean Master ranking for 200-ton vessels, a Merit badge counselor for the Boy Scouts of America and co-founder of IFSPRO, a family camping tradition that has lasted for 37 years.

Boots is survived by his wife of 56 years, Betty Nelle; daughters, Cindy Collins and husband, Brad of Beaufort, SC, Laura Marcum and husband, Greg of Gate City, VA, and Connie Tumlin and husband, Matt of Kingsport, TN; grandchildren, Allison Collins Coppage and husband, Ben of Beaufort, SC, Catherine Collins of Charleston, SC, Emily Collins of Beaufort, SC, Ford Collins of Beaufort, SC, Colton Marcum and wife, Catherine of Gate City, VA, Hannah Marcum of Johnson City, TN, Holly Tumlin of Kingsport, TN, Duke Tumlin of Kingsport, TN, and Anne Tumlin of Kingsport, TN; great-grandchild, Charlsie Marcum; sister, Suzy Orebaugh and husband, Howard of Cary, NC; several nieces and nephews; and three friends that were loved like sons, John Nall Harrison and wife, Nancy of Lexington, NC, Mike Blanchard and wife, Karen of Franklin, TN and Randy Bishop and wife, Della of Kingsport, TN.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, April 14th at 1:30 pm at Oak Hill Memorial Park.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 14th at 2:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church, Kingsport with The Rev. Dr. David A. Cagle officiating. The family will receive friends at the church following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 100 West Church Circle, Kingsport, TN 37660.