Mark "Duke" Whelan

Mark “Duke” Whelan, 69, of Cary, North Carolina, passed peacefully surrounded by family on August 20 at Transitions LifeCare in Raleigh. Duke led a life of service and devotion to his family, who were foremost in his thoughts with every decision he made.

Duke and his four siblings were raised in a loving, lively family by parents Jack and Beverly Whelan in Camillus, NY. Gatherings with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends were a regular part of his upbringing and shaped his love of family and community. Sports were also a family affair. Classmates at Holy Family School and Bishop Ludden High School became lifelong friends. As a high school lacrosse standout, Duke was recruited in 1974 to play on the first NCAA Division 1 lacrosse team at North Carolina State University. Coaches and teammates fondly remembered his irrepressible smile, laughter and commitment to the team as well as his pure talent.

Duke and Sallie met in college and were married in 1979.
He began his teaching career at Kent County High School in Chestertown, Maryland and later earned Master’s and PhD degrees in industrial engineering at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. He taught at the Louisiana State School for the Deaf where he helped establish a lawn care business with the students. After completing his advanced degrees, Duke and Sallie moved to Greenville, NC, where Duke joined the faculty of the East Carolina University School of Construction Management. He also coached the ECU club lacrosse team. Duke and Sallie started their family in Greenville, welcoming David in 1991 and Michael in 1992.  The growing family moved to Cary in 1995 where Duke continued his career in construction management while raising two loving sons, who also share his love for lacrosse. He mentored and coached countless young players and coaches in local elementary, middle and high schools. He held leadership roles in US Lacrosse, North Carolina Lacrosse Association, and led coaching clinics throughout the United States.

In 2018, he was inducted into the North Carolina Lacrosse Hall of Fame for his contributions to the sport. In 2022, he received the Monsignor Taylor Award in recognition of outstanding contributions to sports and programs at Bishop Ludden High School and was inducted into the 2024 Bishop Ludden High School Athletic Hall of Fame.  

Duke recently retired and he and Sallie enjoyed spending time with their beloved sons and three grandchildren in Ohio and Tennessee.

To know Duke was to love Duke. He had a way of making everyone he met feel special and appreciated. He understood the value of community and maintaining strong personal relationships. He will be greatly missed, but his love and leadership are a legacy not to be forgotten.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Sallie; sons David (Sarah) and Michael (Lucy), granddaughters Nora and Avery; and grandson Jack; mother, Beverly; brothers, John (Yvonne), Tom (Ruth), and Dan (Maureen); sister, Mary Jarvis (Dan); and a myriad of extended family and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Jack.

Duke managed Type 1 diabetes throughout most of his life. In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to BreakthroughT1D.org.

A celebration of Duke’s life will be held on Sunday, September 20 from 2-5pm at The Matthews House at 317 W. Chatham Street, Cary, NC.  Sharing of memories will begin at 2:30pm. If able to attend, wear bright colors to honor his love of life, family and friends.