James Albert Duncan

This little boy’s passion turned into a lifetime career. How many people can say that? It started in Indiana, when his uncle taught Jim to fish. However, when he and his Mom relocated to Palm Beach County, Fla., he was immediately drawn to saltwater fishing. Fishing came first, while an education became a very distant second.

At 16 years old, his Mom signed the papers, and Jim went to the principal and withdrew from high school. The principal wished him well and told him he was making the right choice. His Mom was waiting in the car and drove him down to the old Boynton Docks, where he became a fixture.

Jim cleaned boats, cleaned fish, seized at the opportunity to become a mate on a charter boat and never looked back. Next came a job as mate on a 54’ Rybovich named Volador, and not long afterward he became the captain.

He enjoyed muscle cars of the day, was a fan of NASCAR and his absolute favorite driver was Dale Earnhardt. Dale took time out from racing to relax by fishing on his boat, The Intimidator, which Jim captained for several seasons in the Bahamas.

His fishing and boating took him up and down the East Coast, spending many summers in Ocean City, Md. Jim made numerous trips to the Bahamas and Mexico.

As he withdrew from the boating world, Jim turned to collecting antique fishing lures focused mostly on Creek Chub Baits, the lures he used to fish with growing up. He amassed a premier collection that won awards.

He lived a wonderful life; you could almost say he never had to work a day. He shared his knowledge of boating and fishing with all, and carried on this trait with his lure collector friends. Although he said he was shy, you would never know it.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Alice M. Vornehm Duncan and Claude W. Duncan; half-siblings, Grace Trostle, C. Roy, Norman and Robert Zahn; and a grandson, Ian Brown.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Stephanie Duncan; his son, Robert Duncan and wife Jamie of Marble, N.C.; his daughter, Sharron Brown and husband David of Murphy, N.C.; his grandchildren, Jessica Langston and husband Matt of Canton, N.C., Noelle Crowe and husband Ben of Canton, and Alison Brown of Blue Ridge, Ga.; and great-grandchildren, Julie Langston, Aria Brown, Waylon Crowe, Avery Brown and Mabel Crowe.

Jim will also be missed by his fur babies, FuzzyButt and NC.

No formal services will be held. For his fellow Mullet Gutters a luncheon will be held in the future; and for the lure collecting buddies, a celebration will be held in February at the St. Augustine show.