Richard "Dick" DeForest Duncan

Richard DeForrest “Dick” Duncan, passed away on August 7, 2025, one week after his 89th birthday. Dick was known for his ready smile, funny sayings, and big heart. He was generous with his time, especially when it came to family, friends, and his church. In addition to being a devoted husband and father, he wore a lot of other hats over the years-- scoutmaster, baseball coach, camp chef, deer stalker, chief fisherman, driveway auto mechanic, lector, eucharistic minister, bingo caller, choir member. If a project at St. Mary’s Church required power tools and sweat; he was there.

The first child of Harold Duncan and Dorothy Parsons, Dick was born on July 30, 1936 on a ranch in Custer, South Dakota, about the time Thomas Jefferson’s face was emerging on Mount Rushmore about 20 miles away. A varsity athlete in football and baseball, he graduated from Custer High School in 1954 and felt the call of the seas. He joined the US Navy, serving as an engineman on the USS Terrell County. He fondly recalled walking the sands of Iwo Jima, ten years after the famous battle. He returned home to Custer where he met and married Patricia Moye in 1959. The couple settled in Igloo, South Dakota where he worked at the Black Hills Ordnance Depot and the newlyweds began their family. Dick’s job brought the family to Roy, Utah in 1965 where he worked in security police at Hill Air Force Base. Dick and Pat raised a quintet of sons, sending them to Saint Joseph Catholic Schools in Ogden. The family enjoyed many years of camping and fishing in the Wasatch and Uinta mountains, and annual trips home to the Black Hills. Sadly, Pat died prematurely in 1995.

Dick retired in 1994 after a 30-year career at the base. After retiring, he continued to work many years as a school bus driver for Saint Joseph Schools. He loved transporting the Jayhawk teams to away events. No matter the sport, he was their biggest and most vocal fan.

Dick married Frances Nehls in 1999, adding another son, a quintet of daughters and their families to his crew. Dick and Fran enjoyed about a dozen years together, traveling extensively before Fran passed away, leaving him a widower for the second time in his life.

Dick is survived by his sons, Brian (Kaylene) of Tooele, Jim (Francie) of Riverdale, Jeff (Wendy) of Grand Ledge, MI, Mike (Theresa) of Bloomington, ID, Clancy (Emily) of Fredericksburg, VA; daughters, Theresa (Gary) Sheffield of Syracuse, Patty (Jim) Moran of Park City, Kathy (Travis) Waller of Syracuse, Loretta (Brian) Duberow of Irvine, CA, Sophia Montiel of Syracuse; 21 grandchildren, and four great grandchildren; brother Ray of Aberdeen, SD, He was preceded in death by his father, Harold; mother, Dorothy; his first wife Patricia, second wife, Fran, stepson, Lawrence; sisters, Jean and Josephine; and brother, Ranny,

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, August 20 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 514 243th Street in Ogden. A rosary and vigil will be held on Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Gardens of the Wasatch, 1718 Combe Road.

The family would like to say a big yeehaw! to the staff at Lotus Park in West Haven and of Utah Home Health and Hospice for their outstanding care for Dick, especially in his final months. Thanks also to his Lotus Park neighbor, Joe Vigil, who was truly a friend to the end.

Services will be live-streamed and available the day of the services by scrolling to the bottom of Dick’s obituary page at: www.lindquistmortuary.com where condolences may also be shared.

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