Sylvia Duncan

DUNCAN, SYLVIA B., 52, loving wife and mother of three from Severna Park, MD died suddenly March 9, 2011 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage while on vacation in Vermont with her family.

Sylvi was born January 22, 1959 in Munich, Germany and lived her first year in the Bavarian Alps town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Sylvi grew up in Greenwich, CT and attended Greenwich High School graduating second in her class of over 1,000 students. She earned a BA from Middlebury College, in Middlebury, VT where she was an Economics and German double major. Sylvi graduated magna cum laude and was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa society.

Following college, Sylvi returned to Greenwich, CT where she used her native fluency in German and understanding of accounting and economics at Kali-Chemie, a US subsidiary of Solvay Chemicals. Beginning in the accounting department she became the office manager and eventually rose to the role of CFO and Treasurer of the US operations. In 1988 Sylvi married J. Peter Duncan, of Potomac, MD and the couple lived in Reading, MA where Sylvi worked for Siemens-Nixdorf until children came along. They moved their young family to Severna Park, MD in 1995 and lived in the Fair Oaks on the Magothy community.

First and foremost, Sylvi was a loving mother to her three children, Ian, Terry and Stephen, who attended Folger McKinsey Elementary School and the Severn School. Sylvi devoted her waking hours to creating a wonderful nurturing home for raising outstanding children. She was also an exceptional business partner for her husband, Peter, enabling him to operate a consulting practice and several small businesses. In addition to fostering her family, Sylvi was a member of the Junior League of Annapolis and Woods Presbyterian Church in Severna Park. Her passions included gardening at her home, loving her dog and caring for her family property in Vermont. She had a wide circle of friends with whom she shared the simple pleasures of friendship in daily life.

Sylvi is survived by her parents, George I. Allen III and Beatrice M. Allen of Randolph, VT, her loving husband, Peter, and her three adoring children, Ian, Theresa and Stephen of Severna Park, her brother and sister-in-law, George and Beth Allen of Elmore, VT as well as dozens of nieces and nephews.

A memorial service celebrating Sylvi's life will be held at Woods Presbyterian Church in Severna Park at 3 PM on Thursday, March 24. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to one of Sylvi's favorite causes: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 520 8th Ave, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10018, The Lighthouse Homeless Shelter, P.O. Box 6149, Annapolis, MD 21401, or Woods Work Youth Programs, c/o Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church, 611 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd., Severna Park, MD 21146.