Dr. Frances M. Duncan passed away April 27, 2018. Frances was born on June 23, 1920 in Utica, New York; the daughter of Edward S. Murphy and Elizabeth Stack Murphy. She was raised in the outskirts of Buffalo, NY in a town named Kenmore. Her family was a very devout Catholic family and this became a mainstay of hers for her entire life. She attended Barnard College, graduated in 1942, and then went to work as the first female chemist for the Pratt and Lambert Paint Company. With the onset of the war, she joined the American Red Cross serving overseas in the Philippines and later Berlin where she met and married, Lee Duncan, Sr. Ultimately, they had six children and she adopted a seventh. She embraced the role as a military wife following her husband to assignments at Fort Meade, MD, Kent State University, back to Buffalo while her husband was in the Korean War, Fort Dix, NJ, Captieux, France, Poitiers, France and ultimately Fort Benning, GA.
Frances was involved in numerous volunteer activities including, Piedmont Medical Center Auxiliary, Past President; Columbus Hospice 1995-2000; Achievement Academy 1995-2004; Downtown Magnet Academy 1998-2004.
Her professional affiliations included American Association for Mental Deficiencies; Council for Exceptional Children; Phi Delta Kappa; Kappa Delta Pi; American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities; Life Member and Fellow since 1996; Kiwanis Club of Columbus; American Association of University Women.
Frances received the Dan Reed Rotary Service Above Self Award in 2008. She was Professor Emeritus, University System of Georgia; and appointed to the Council on Disabled Georgians by Governor George Busbee.
Dr. Duncan was preceded in death by her husband, Lee C. Duncan, Sr.; daughter, Frances Bernadette Duncan; son, Richard Lee Duncan; brother, Dr. Edward Murphy; and sister, Dr. Ruth M. Walsh. She is survived by her children, Lee C. Duncan (Joan) of Atlanta, GA; Edward M. Duncan (Connie) of Redwood City, CA; Paul H. Duncan of Atlanta, GA; Elizabeth D. Parsons (Charlie) of Columbus, GA; Nancy D. Marino (Raymond) of Fortson, GA; sister-in-law, Consuelo Murphy, Mexico City, MX; eight grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren.
A visitation will be held Wednesday evening, May 2, 2018 from 5:30pm until 7:00pm with a Rosary will be said at 7:00 pm at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, Columbus. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Anne Catholic Church on Thursday, May 3, 2018 at 11:00 am. A private family burial will be held at Parkhill Cemetery.
The family extends a special thank you to Memory Support South at Spring Harbor and Columbus Hospice. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Dr. Duncan to the Richard L. Duncan and Dr. Frances M. Duncan Scholarship Fund, Columbus State University.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.shcolumbus.com for the Duncan family.
