4 years later, we still think of her often at work.  Whether it's her signature laugh or clever quips ("Marybeth-isms"), her presence is still felt!  I still have colleagues around the country who bring her up in conversation and how much they miss her.   A true testament to her personality and warmth...   

Miss you MB!

This was a total shock to my sister and myself when Dr. C had to tell us what happen.  Maribeth was and always will be my favorite nurse.  She helped me when I was at a critical time of my life.  I meet Maribeth and Dr. C 6 yrs ago when I was diagnosed with PAH.  What a amazing woman she was and I know still to this day she will be with all of us and watching over us.  To Maribeth's family I am truly so sorry for your loss.  Sending prayers to you all for healing and strength. God speed.  

I was classmate of Maribeth's at FCHS.  I have hardly seen Maribeth since graduation...was always a delightful person!  My sincere sympathy to her family, friends, coworkers.  

 Deepest sympathy to Maribeth’s family.  I had the special time  to get to know her and she was always so kind and polite and always thinking about other people.   We always had great conversations and I had the pleasure to get to share Christmases and other holidays together with her company.   She will be greatly missed.
 Deepest sympathy to her family.  🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

I found out on Facebook last Sunday night I lost a real good friend and a nurse of Dr chakinala.  MariBeth Duncan was a good woman and was always smiling she would call me right back when I lefted a message for refills or anything else . she touched alot of hearts . when I was in the hospital she would always bring me candy word search puzzles magazines a soda gum and would always check on me . But I loved talking to her she would tell me about her family and her trips she took . she was a good friend to me . I will miss her so much seeing her smiling face and her big hugs she would give me . I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow at dr chakinala  iam going to be so sad not being able to see her. it's not going to be the same without her there . I know she will be looking over me . Sending prayers to family and friends for their loss iam so sorry . Rest in peace maribeth Duncan.  

Gerald and The Duncan Family and Wash U and Barnes Family

Thank you for sharing Maribeth with us Pher's so much! she meant the world to us!! She was a wonderful person, nurse, phriend, cheerleader for all us patients.  she will be sorely missed!! Heaven gained a wonderful Angel !!

Hugs to you all!!!

Denise and Robert Beach 

Maribeth was a cornerstone of the Pulmonary Hypertension Service in the Division of  Pulmonary and Critical Care at Washington University/Barnes-Jewish Hospital. She taught and provided support to innumerable attendings, fellows, trainees, nurses, pharmacists, and staff. Most importantly, she helped many patients deal with a very difficult diagnosis in an era when major breakthroughs and developments occurred to improve the treatment of pulmonary vascular diseases. We will all miss her and remember her with admiration, fondness, and reverence. 

I have been thinking of Maribeth's family during this difficult time.  She talked about her family a lot and I know that she was always there to help with whatever was needed for her family.  I met Maribeth 30 years ago.  She was my preceptor when I started working in the ICU.  She is a great person, and could always tell a good, funny, story!  I have had the pleasure of working with her in the pulmonary department, and could always get her advice on pulmonary hypertension patients.  Our group of nurses really miss her!
Pam

To The Duncan Family & Gerald,

I’m so very sorry to hear of your loss. Maribeth was a pillar of strength, compassion, and knowledge for our PH Community. She was by far, our biggest cheerleader. She has touched so many lives and others have come to rely on her for reassurance after being newly diagnosed. Our world will definitely not be the same without her.  Our Support Group will be making a donation in her honor; it’s the least we can do for her after all she has done for us. 

With Deepest Sympathy,

Matt & Amanda McKee

Barb, Robert and families, I was shocked to hear of Maribeth's passing. I know she will be missed very much. My thought's and prayers are with you. Please except, my sympathy,
Sincerely, Mark Forcade

I’m so lucky to have been able to know Maribeth! I can’t believe she is gone. I worked with her at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.  She was such a kind and compassionate person. She was always willing to help out when needed. She will be missed so much! 
Cheryl Reinarman

My deepest condolences to the Duncan family as they celebrate the life of an extraordinary individual! Maribeth was passionate and brought a sense of comfort to all her patients. She was an astonishing and exceptional clinician and individual! We will all greatly miss her here at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. I will always cherish the wonderful memories she has given all of us!  Sincere sympathy and many prayers to the Duncan family during this difficult time! 
God bless the Duncan family!
Joan Morris, RN, CVRN-BC, ECG-BC
Barnes-Jewish Hospital 
High Risk Cardiology 

It is truly hard to lose family members..we grew up together as babies and grew apart after my parents divorced but connected back thru facebook...I enjoyed watching all of your fun adventures and seeing everyone thru your posts...you were very loved by all and will be missed by all....GOD needed you for something special....Rest in Peace....give grandma and grandpa hugs and kisses from me !!  

OMG! When we got the news, I thought to myself, I know her name but I couldn't recall her face. When I saw her picture, my heart dropped. Maribeth had smile that would light up the room. I didn't have much interaction with her but she was always friendly to me when she came up to 8400.  She had a jolly and warm spirit. Everyone that I saw her interact with seemed to enjoy her presence. Although I didn't know Maribeth personally, I'm very happy that our paths crossed. My sincere condolences to her family and colleagues. The news made me sad so I can only imagine the sadness in all of your hearts. Please be encouraged to know that she's with GOD, and may He grant you peace in the days, weeks, and moths to come. BE BLESSED!

MB,

You were a wonderful person and will be deeply missed by all.  You always had the patients best interest in heart.   I’ve learned a lot from you over the years.   I will truly miss seeing and talking to you.

Dawn 

I am so heartbroken to hear of MBs passing. I still can’t believe it. I just spoke with her almost 2 weeks ago. So I am still trying to wrap my mind around this news.  I am a patient of her and Dr. C. She came into my life back in 2009 when I was 19 and freshly diagnosed with PH. I was scared and she took me under her wing. She has been there for me none stop. She was always there to answer my questions and concerns, to scold me (with love because I needed it from time to time), and to just listen when I just needed to talk or cry about my disease. Her heart was made of pure Gold. Her smile and cheerful soul always gave me that boost I needed to stay strong and continue to fight the fight. MB you will truly be missed. Knowing you for the past 10 years was truly a honor. My heart goes out to your family and friends and the staff back at Clinic. May you Rest In Peace. 

Bridg 

Dear Duncan family and Dear Gerald, 
Your Mary or my Maribeth, MB or Betha (woman of many names) was an amazing woman and I am grateful to have shared 30 years of friendship with her.  She always had a crazy phrase (which all near to her would adopt) to describe an occasion or vent an emotion.  You could not help it!  Working together in the Jewish Hospital MICU for many years, she  showed her compassion, knowledge, kindness and grace in caring for the critically ill.  After obtaining her NP status, she joined us in the PH clinic and I was thrilled!  She always used her sense of humor to get us over some challenging times and gave our PH patients and the PH community her all.  As much as she loved us, we all knew that her family was #1.  She always told the best stories of family times and how much she adored all her "babies".  Sleepovers with the little ones always made her so happy.  And the love of her life, Gerald aka Portsie, was the best gift of all.  Gerald truly made her life complete. I will always keep MB in my heart and God bless each of you as you remember this beautiful, caring, compassionate soulmate, daughter, sister, auntie, friend.   

MariBeth, you came into our life as the friend of our brother, then you two became inseparable and we were thrilled.  Gerald told me how much he loved and adored you.  You were his soulmate, best friend and the love ❤️ of his life.
We will miss you so much and pray that you find peace in heaven.


Maribeth was known as a lovely person who provided a wealth of knowledge to her colleagues and a smile to everyone she encountered. I am truly blessed to have known such a wonderful individual. 
To the Duncan and to the PH family, thank you for sharing this precious gem. She will continue to be remembered in our hearts. May you find peace in knowing Maribeth is and was loved by many. Prayers for comfort are being sent.
With sincere condolences,
Lisa M. Gill, DNP, ANP-BC
Division of Hospitalist Medicine

I am deeply saddened by the loss of Maribeth.  She has been "my" nurse since 2008 and always met me with a smile.  I am praying for the staff at Barnes Jewish, DR. C. and her family.  Many times Maribeth took the time to call me or email me when I had questions or concerns.  There are no words that can express how empty I will feel when I travel to St. Louis and Barnes Jewish to my appointments and not see her smiling, kind face.

May you rest in peace and may God hold you in the palm of his hands.  God Bless You!
Nikki 

If you count success by the number of smiles you shared, Maribeth was the most successful woman I've ever met. She will be missed.

I am heartbroken by the loss of Maribeth.   We were the late crew at work and spent many an evening hashing out how to better rule the universe!  The world according to MB and B was amazing ...well in our minds.  She was always a wealth of knowledge and great laughs.  She also saved the day with cough drops more times than I can count.   My heart aches from the pain of knowing your daughter, sister, aunt, love of your life and friend is gone but I hope that now she can actually put our plans in place and rule this amazing universe!  Sending much love and hugs to all who are hurting.  

MB, I miss you girl.  I will miss our laughs and evening talks.  I hope you are finally pain free and telling everyone who will listen that you are in charge!  Love, B

I worked with Maribeth for years with our combined pediatric/adult HHT Center of Excellence here at BJH/SLCH/WUSM. Her sudden passing is so shocking to all of us her "work family".  
She was a role model nurse and showed great compasion for all of her patients. 
We learned together and strived for excellence in caring for this unique group of patients. 
Prayers for all of her family at this time of great loss. 
Maribeth, may you rest in peace. I will so miss working with you... we had coordination of these patients all figured out!! 
Love and peace to all. May we continue to pass on and share Maribeth's smile and laugh with those around us each day. 



Maribeth was my dear and esteemed nurse colleague in pulmonary hypertension.  I always looked forward to seeing her at conferences and PH meetings.  Whether it was an insightful comment or a good laugh, Maribeth always added just the right touch.  Her knowledge and dedication to PH and HHT was inspirational.  The PH community will miss her greatly and we are all better off for having known her and spent time with her.

I had an appointment with Dr Chakinala, Maribeth was conducting the pre - appointment interview with me.  She answered all of my questions and stood up to leave the exam room to discuss my answers with Dr Chakinala.  Well she had answered all my questions so I got up to leave also.  She was like where are you going?  She told Dr Chakinala what I did, he got a good laugh about it.  Maribeth was that good, who needs a physician when you have Maribeth?  

Maribeth, you have truly been a gift in this world. I was so privileged to  work with you at Barnes.  You made a difference in so many lives. I love your big smile and your wonderfully kind heart.  I loved seeing your vacation pictures and how much fun you were having.  I am thinking of you Barbara and the rest of the family.   I am so glad Maribeth brought you into my life and I am praying for you. Please let me know if there is anything that I can do in this very difficult time. 

Always MB to me...Maribeth you were truly a class act.  When I joined the department in 2006 you were one of the first to welcome me aboard. You showed me the ropes in the department and gave me a few pointers.  One of my best memories was trying to convince you to go to DNP school with me and setting up your dating profile...then came Ger! Your passion for PH and your patients is a true testiment to your huge heart. Through the years I felt like I knew your nieces and nephews personally!!  I will miss your smiling face, a wave from afar and seeing your latest vacation photos. God bless you, your family and your beloved Ger! Until next time..xoxox

Maribeth I don't have enough words to express how much you meant to me. You took the fear out of living with PAH. You touched so many lives. My heart aches and my deepest love and sympathy go to your family. 💜

Oh where do i start.. Even though i have only had you as part of my Care team up at Wash U. This is still very hard for me to wrap my head around this, when i first met you and had got to talk to you i realized that you are a good and compassionate Nurse and that you do truly care for all of your patients.  You have always fought hard and did what is right for anyone who has had you as part of their team, and i know that you are still PHighting for us down here and I will PHight as hard as i can. I hope that one day we can eventually see each other again. I will miss you dearly Maribeth 😩💔😩💔

I’m a seventeen year PH patient for who Maribeth was always available to help me through many of my hurdles. She certainly was a wealth of PH information. No question ever stumped her. She was such an amazing nurse whom I nominated for a nursing award through  PHaware!  She will be extremely missed by all of her patients. I extend my prayers and sincere sympathy to her family and loved ones.  

Maribeth was a friend and colleague. We would have fun at every meeting we attended together. We would ell stories and we always had each other laughing. The last time we saw each other we talked about my retirement and she thought that Dr. Aaron Waxman (physician I work with) should rent a private jet to pick everyone up for my party. Aaron got a good laugh out of that one. I cherished Maribeth as a friend and will miss her. My prayers and thoughts are with Maribeth's family. 

RIP my friend. 

Dear Duncan and Washington University Families,

Maribeth was so passionate in working with the HHT community  and the families that came from near and far.  She was the first person to interact with them, ease their worry, and coordinate their care.  She helped Cure HHT with conferences and advocated for so many within our HHT family to receive access to the expert care they needed.  She touched hundreds of lives through the years and we will miss her giving spirit, kindness and compassion.  

Keeping you all in our prayers. 

Such a devastating loss for all of us at Barnes Jewish Hospital. I had the pleasure of working with Maribeth for so many years as a nurse in the MICU who cared for the multiple PAH patients admitted to our unit. She was an invaluable resource to all, always had a smile on her face and was so supportive of her patients and the nursing staff. We will all feel the huge void left by her untimely passing. My thoughts and prayers to her family, friends, Murali and all the BJH team members who will grieve her loss. We will comfort each other and rejoice in her memories during this difficult time. Rest in peace my friend...

I worked with Maribeth in the CCU/MICU at Jewish Hospital in the early/mid 1990s.  She kept those of us on the night shift in stitches most of the time.  She was a great colleague and a wonderful nurse!   Prayers for your family and may God grant her eternal rest.

Maribeth, how do I say goodbye to one of my best friends?  You were my friend from day one when we went out to lunch your first day.  You were one of the kindest, humblest and funniest people I knew.  Whenever we went out to lunch or if you  bought me something, you always said, “I had a coupon”.  When you, Gerald and me went to Destin, I never laughed so much in my life.  We had the most fun time.  Or, when we stopped at the gas station and you bought two kids asking their mom for some candy, and the family needed gas, you told the cashier to pay for the gas and candy for the kids.  What a huge heart you had.  You were the pillar of the PH program, everyone loved you.  My heart aches that I won’t see you anymore or hear all the wonderful stories of your family who you loved so deeply.  The world was a better place when you were in it.  You left us too soon.  You will be dearly missed.  RIP my friend until we meet again.

Working with Maribeth made my job fun! Despite what the day entailed, she always had a smile on her face  - -and an impeccable manicure! She will be missed by everyone who knew her.  For her family and the PH community, I am so sorry for your great loss. She was the ‘glue’ that held so much together & she continues to do so by her decision of organ donation. How amazing to be the recipient of her gift! She was born with the ability to change lives and that exactly what she did! 

I met Maribeth at Deaconess going through nursing school.  I would catch a ride with her to come home on the weekends.  Her mom and my step mom Judy worked together at Dr Welch’s office.  She had a huge heart and really never knew a stranger.  I know she will be missed by many.  There is a huge hole left in this world.  May the family find the strength with the kind words of all the lives that Maribeth touches.   Fly high my friend. See you in the other side.   

You were one of a kind.  Smart, sincere, so funny and kind always.  The stories you told were amazing.  Loved hearing about your family (grandpa stories!) and your nephews/nieces.  It’s been years since I had seen you but following you on social media was so fun.  I’m so sorry for your family, your friends  and your patients that loved you so much.   The good you’ve done in your life will live on for generations.

Oh MB! How do I say goodbye to you?  an amazing nurse. I always looked up to you. I want your family to know how wonderful you were.  How you could talk about the most complicated disease and make me understand it. You taught me so much.   You were always teaching.  You loved your family and talked about them all so much that I felt I knew them. You loved Gerald and all the trips you took together.   Oh the many lives you touched and saved. You were a true hero! An inspiration to all Nurses! And a great friend.  No one will ever be able to fill your shoes. Love you 

Maribeth Duncan was an amazing person, coworker, and friend. She was one of the kindest, humblest, smartest, and most hilarious people I have ever met. Maribeth always went the extra mile for everybody. I think she was incapable of not going the extra mile for people; caring for others was a fundamental part of who she was. It was an absolute honor to know Maribeth  Duncan. I will always remember and love her.  

I went to High School with Marybeth she was just a whoot . Always Laughing or smiling. I am just so sorry for your loss. R.I.P..Marybeth

Maribeth was an amazing person. She was always there for me during my PH journey. My heart is broken that she’s gone but as a patient that needs a double lung transplant my heart is full knowing she was a donor what a beautiful gift she had given. You will be missed. 

We were shocked and saddened to hear about the passing of Maribeth. I am one of many PAH patients who depended on Maribeth to help lead me through this difficult journey. She was always there to offer suggestions to help ease my pain with this difficult and challenging disease. My wife Debbie and I feel like we have lost more than an outstanding nurse, but a good friend who truly cared about us. The entire PAH community will truly miss Maribeth. 

Steve and Debbie Stiffelman 

Maribeth, I have known you for the last three years but I was always able to talk to you like we have known each other for decades.   My heart deeply aches knowing that I can’t simply walk into your office and pick your brain and ask about your day.  Know that you will always be in my memories for years to come.  Know that the world is a better place today because of your your life’s work and that today it shines a little less because you were taken from us way too early.  You were a sweet and wonderful person who will be dearly missed. RIP. MB

I am so sorry to learn of Maribeth’s passing.  It has been a number of years since I saw Maribeth but  I will always remember the happy, funny girl that made my teaching job so much fun at FCHS.   My condolences to all her family.  

Our prayers and sympathies go out to Maribeth’s family and friends. I went to high school with her and remember her as always smiling and she was so funny! Rest In Peace Maribeth💐

I’m a PH patient  and have been seeing Dr. Chakinala and his team for 12 years. Needless to say Maribeth was a huge part of his team and my life. She was always kind and supportive.  The best advice she gave me was live life to the fullest. She was a great inspiration to all of us. She will be missed. We will be saying prayers for the family at this difficult time.

Denise Klaves and family

I am heartbroken at the news of Maribeth’s passing.  She was a pillar of the PAH community.  She was the one I sent my questions to and always trusted the answers.  She knew her “stuff”!!  She supported the St. Louis PH Support Group and our fundraising events.  She will truly be missed by so many people.  My deepest sympathies to all her family, patients, and friends.

There are no words to express my feelings for this sad  occasion. I have enjoyed working with Maribeth, she was always so pleasant, knowledgeable and a true inspiration to her patients. So sorry for your loss, my thoughts and prayers go out to the Duncan family and the BJC family during this sad time.

To Maribeth's family:
Her 'work family' is devastated by the news.  We will miss her beyond what words can describe  Condolences are pouring in from all over the medical center and from around the country.  She touched so many lives!  Our hearts and prayers are with the entire Duncan clan.  Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help.  It's only fitting that her two families come together at this difficult time...
Murali Chakinala

OBITUARY

Maribeth "Betha" Duncan

March 4, 1965 – May 26, 2019

Valhalla-Gaerdner-Holten Funeral Home & Valhalla Gardens

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