PAUL DUNCAN

1940 - 2021

DUNCAN, Paul Paul R. Duncan, 81, of Naples, FL, and Mashpee, MA, passed away on December 15, 2021, surrounded by loved ones. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Margery (nee Trigg); his children, Ken (Alicia) Duncan and Amy (Jason) Kirkfield; and his grandchildren, Miles and Amanda Duncan and Joshua and Emily Kirkfield. Paul was born in Bethel Springs, TN, the ninth child born to William Thomas Duncan and Buna Melvina (Russom) Duncan. Most of his childhood was spent living in Memphis. At the age of ten, he began working as a delivery boy for a local store, giving his earnings to his mother to help support the family. As one of the youngest children in the family, Paul was cared for by many of his older siblings, and they encouraged him to work hard and earn good grades in high school. After his football coach recommended him to the Dartmouth College coaching staff, he applied and was accepted. Later in life, Paul spoke about the risks he took in leaving Memphis, as well as the realization that leaving town gave him the best chance to succeed and rise out of poverty. Paul's football career at Dartmouth was short-lived, as he quickly realized that the time requirements of football conflicted with the academic conditions of his financial aid. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1962, and completed his MBA at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business in 1963. Following a stint in the Army Reserves, Paul began his professional career at Ernst & Ernst in Boston, MA. During his time as an accountant and eventually a Partner at Ernst & Ernst, he developed many life-long friendships. In 1980, he joined Towle Manufacturing, serving as President and COO. Paul's experience with bringing Towle public eventually led to his hiring by Reebok International in 1985, where he worked until 2007, serving several roles, including Chief Financial Officer. Paul became a life-long fan of Boston sports teams, most enduringly the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. After years of long-suffering fandom, he lived long enough to enjoy many championship moments with family and the rest of New England. While Paul enjoyed tennis and downhill skiing at different points in his adult life, his longest running past-time was golf. Through a rocky, love-hate relationship with the sport, with many rounds played with friends and colleagues, he eventually tallied a total of 6 holes-in-one. Paul R. Duncan will be fondly remembered for his humble nature and his generous and caring spirit. He had a dry sense of humor and a quick wit. He always described himself as incredibly lucky, and liked to say that he would never be the smartest guy in the room, but knew he could outwork anyone. He will be dearly missed by many, most of all the wife, children, and grandchildren he loved more than anything. Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Paul Duncan may be made to the Ron Burton Training Village, P.O. Box 2, Hubbardston, MA 01452, www.ronburtontrainingvillage.org/donate Online condolences fullernaples.com

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