Dr. John R. Duncan

MOREHEAD - Dr. John R. Duncan, 67, former vice president, faculty regent and a retired professor at Morehead State University died Mon., Jan. 2, 2006 at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, WA. John and his wife of 46 years, the former Gretta Ann Brown, had been visiting their daughter Laura Lee O'Connell, her husband Michael, and their three sons, Elijah, 13, Wiley, 10, and Jon Dooley, 4, when he had a heart attack on the day after Christmas. His parents, John A. and Mary Walden Duncan, preceded John in death. Born in Glasgow, KY on Aug. 6, 1938, John grew up in various Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio communities. His family moved to Morehead in 1955 where he enrolled at Breckinridge Training School as a junior in high school. John was well known in the Morehead area in the years 1955 - 1960 as J. D. the Deejay and Punkin Duncan on the local radio station WMOR. A two-time MSU graduate, he earned a bachelors degree in 1960 and the masters degree in 1961. He continued his education at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and Purdue University in Lafayette, IN, as a General Electric fellow. He completed the Doctor of Education degree at Indiana University in Bloomington in 1967. Prior to accepting a position at MSU, he taught at Mt. Healthy High School in Ohio. John's tenure at MSU lasted from 1964-1991 during which time he served as Director of Admissions, Director of Graduate Studies, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty and was a professor in the Department of Administration and Secondary Education. He served two terms as the faculty representative on the MSU Board of Regents and two terms on the Faculty Senate. John had many honors in his career serving two terms on the Morehead City Council, was well known as a public speaker, and was active in the Morehead Church of Christ as well as the Leesburg, FL, South 14th Street Church of Christ. After retirement from MSU in 1991, John consulted with the public schools of KY and other states helping develop school councils and in areas of school safety. A retirement home in Tavares, FL, brought much joy to John where he pursued his lifelong love of bass fishing. His many friends, family, colleagues, and former students mourn the passing of this unique individual who gave so much to the field of education, to his family and church. Funeral services will be conducted at 1 pm Sat., Jan. 7, 2006, at Northcutt & Son Home for Funerals Memorial Chapel with Dr. Len Knight officiating; other participants include Dr. Jack Ellis, Dr. J. D. Reeder, Dr. Randal Wells, and Jesse Perry. A host of friends and family have been selected as active and honorary pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Morehead Church of Christ, c/o Jack Roe, Treasurer, P.O. Box 1024, Morehead, KY 40351. Visitation is after 5 pm Fri., Jan. 6, 2006, at Northcutt & Son Home for Funerals.