Duke was born in Gross Pointe, Michigan where he caddied at the Country Club of Detroit. He graduated from Denison University in Granville, Ohio with a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature.

In 1944, George married Fanny Pease, and their family includes three daughters, eight grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. His business career in the building products industry in Cincinnati and Hamilton Ohio spanned four decades.

In 1956, Duke was elected as club delegate to the Greater Cincinnati Golfer's League. In 1966 the “Legends of Cincinnati Golf” selected him as an Honoree. From 1971 to 1973 he was named President of the National Denison Alumni Association. Then from 1974 to 1979 he was President of the Greater Cincinnati Golf Associaton.

Duke served twenty years as an USGA Sectional Affairs Committeeman and member of the USGA Rules Committee for the US Open and US Men's Amateur Championship.

In 1974 Duke became a member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland. In 1977 he was named Co-Chairman of the United States Women's Amateur Championship, held at Cincinnati Country Club, his home course. He was made an Honorary Member of the PGA of America's Southern Ohio Section, Cincinnati PGA Chapter in 1996.

Duke currently resides in Cincinnati and serves as Director on the Boards of the Greater Cincinnati Golf Association, the Ohio Golf Association, the Western Golf Association, and the Tri-State Golf Association.