Obituary of Richard Duncan

Duncan, Richard "Dick" age 98 died Friday, 3/4/ 2022. Dick was born in Duluth & was predeceased by his parents, Elsa Zachow Duncan, Russell C. Duncan, brother Russell Jr. and wife Alice (Sally) Haxby Duncan. He is survived by his children Jim (Linda), Nancy, Tom (Kim Valentino), Chuck (Laura Gross), grandchildren Anika Fajardo (Dave Dieken), Eric Ferenchak (Kim), Sarah, Alisa Lucas (Bob), Jeannine Lotos (Eric Lotos), Leah Gross, greatgrandchildren, Al Lucas, Mitch Lucas, Mackenzie Lucas, Samantha Lucas, Sylvia Dieken, Ida Duncan, Katelyn Ferenchak and Evan Ferenchak.

He was an Eagle Scout of Westminster's Troop #33 and served as Scoutmaster at the Brookside School in St. Louis Park and St. David's Episcopal Church in Minnetonka. Dick was a graduate of Minneapolis Washburn High School and the University of Minnesota where he received a Doctorate in Education (EdD) with a focus on Therapeutic Recreation. He was an Ensign in the Navy during WWII in the Pacific on LCI #607 and spent some time in Shanghai. While near Okinawa his ship rode out a typhoon. For many years he belonged to the Minneapolis Rotary Club #9 and with the help of Hopkins Rotary he founded the Open Circle Adult Day Care Program there. He was a volunteer for many years in the Hospice program at Methodist Hospital.

Dick and Sally went on many canoe trips in Canada's Quetico Park and explored the US in their RV motorhome. They enjoyed several trips to Colorado where they went downhill skiing. They also took Elderhostel (Roads Scholar) trips, especially biking in the UK's East Anglia and down the Danube River in Austria. They spent several weeks in Egypt exploring ancient history with their beloved AFS daughter, Fatma Mashour, and her family. They climbed to the top of the Great Pyramid of Khufu and up inside to the King's Chamber. One summer they bicycled from Hopkins to Duluth and beyond to Two Harbors. They hosted several other foreign students from Tibet, Thailand, Finland, Sweden, and Japan. For many years Dick carried on an active correspondence with a Russian pen-pal. Dick enjoyed many happy times with family and friends at their forest and home on Lake Wabedo near Longville, Minnesota. Although he was a secular humanist, he belonged to Plymouth Congregational Church because, as he said, he went there as a kid, enjoyed the beautiful music the great sermons, and the social action programs.

There will be a memorial family party at an appropriate time but at Dick's request, there will be no formal funeral or religious service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.