John La Duke

1921–1978

John A. La Duke was a Michigan native and a first-generation university student. He graduated from Michigan Tech in 1949 with BS in Electrical Engineering. 

A significant portion of his education was paid through the GI Bill following his service in World War II in the China-Burma-India Theater. He was married to Carla V. Weimar in 1946. She accompanied him to Michigan Tech and was an instructor in the languages department. 

Following graduation, he was employed by Commonwealth Services Inc. in Jackson, Michigan. In 1951, La Duke was hired by Dow Chemical as a buyer in Midland, Michigan. He was subsequently transferred to Madison, Illinois and then Houston, Texas. His education allowed him to represent the Dow Chemical Company on a variety of projects as he served as a buyer and expeditor throughout his career there. 

According to his son, John C. La Duke, the elder La Duke always spoke fondly of his experiences at Michigan Tech. He enjoyed being outdoors in the Copper Country, with many of those experiences documented in his photos.

Updated March 2024