Paul "Bill" Duncan

PAUL "BILL" DUNCAN

Paul "Bill" Duncan, D.O., passed away at SOMC Hospice Inpatient Care Center on Friday, January 6, 2017. Dr. Duncan fought more than a four-year battle with Asbestosis and Pulmonary Fibrosis. He was born January 30, 1936, in New Boston, Ohio, to Paul H. and Maxine V. Brown Duncan, the eldest of four children.

Dr. Duncan was a graduate and star athlete at Glenwood High School. He completed his undergraduate studies at Ohio University and graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry from Eastern Kentucky University in 1959. He graduated from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine on May 25, 1964, and held a Family Medicine Internship at Warren General Hospital through June 30, 1965. After medical school, he practiced in West Virginia, Texas, and Magnolia, OH before returning to the Portsmouth area. From 1980 through 1995 he was in private practice serving the Sciotoville, Minford and Portsmouth communities. Beginning in 1995, he left private practice and worked as a physician in Vanceburg, Kentucky. On June 1, 2012, he retired from SOMC Vanceburg Family Practice.

When he was not providing medical care to those within his community, Paul enjoyed spending time outdoors, playing tennis and keeping his home's landscape beautiful. When his children were young, he would often play ball with them, either passing a football or a baseball around. One of his favorite hobbies was horticulture. He also enjoyed spending time with his family, friends and beloved dogs, Maya, Happy, Roscoe and Dixie, and terribly missed those of whom preceded him in death (Pepper, Precious, Buddy, Ginger and Haley).

Paul is preceded in death by his beloved mother, Maxine and father Paul; his youngest child, David James Duncan; sister, Judith Ann Young; also, his brother-in-law, Dr. Arthur Owen Kelly and mother-in-law, Margarette Faye Groves Carter.

Paul is survived by his wife, Roberta F. Groves Kehoe Duncan. Their life together began July 3, 1981, at Christ Community Church with Pastor Scott Rawlings. His children Marianne "Happy" Berry Houston (Matthew) Forristall, of Homestead, FL; Paul Gregory Duncan of Portsmouth; Dawn Elaine Duncan of San Francisco, California; grandchildren, Hannah Jean, Gainesville, Florida, and Sam Houston Forristall, USNA in Annapolis, Maryland; step-children, Jennifer Leigh Kehoe of Cincinnati and John "Jay" Groves Kehoe of Ironton, Ohio; sister, Marilyn Kaye (Joseph) Brzuszek of Monroeville, Pennslyvania; and a brother, James H. (Deborah) Duncan of West Portsmouth; sister-In-Law Belinda (Thomas) Kelly of Franklin Furnace; nieces Brooke and Lauren Duncan, Kristin Young Dyer, Kathy B. Sigler & Julie Brzuszek, Andrea "Andi" (Kelly) Leasor; nephews, Robert Duncan, Dr. Wayne Mathew Young, Joseph Brzuszek and Arthur "Odie" Kelly.

The family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Elie Saab and his staff, the staff in the Progressive Care Unit at SOMC, Corner Stone at St. Mary's Hospital and the staff and caregivers at SOMC Palliative Care and Hospice for the care they provided Dr. Duncan during his last days. His best buddies who saw to it that Paul needed nothing during the past years, Ron Mullins, Roger Goddard, Bill Butcher, Dewey Griffeth, Thom Hauck and Cliff Adkins.

Instead of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to the following locations: Christ Community Church, P.O. Box 649; or SOMC Hospice, 1805 27th Street, both located in Portsmouth, OH 45662. A memorial service is scheduled in the Chapel at Christ Community Church on Friday, January 13th, 2017, at 1 p.m., with Pastor Scott Rawlings, Paul's brother-in-law, Dr. Wayne Young and Ralph Clay officiating. Graveside services will follow.