Robert Gerald Duggan

1948 - 2023

Robert Gerald (Jerry) Duggan
April 14, 1948 - December 27, 2023
Robert Gerald (Jerry) Duggan, 75, of Santa Rosa passed away at Kaiser Hospital on December 27, 2023, after a year-long battle with leukemia. Jerry was born on April 14, 1948, to James and Dorothy Duggan. He graduated from Encina High School in Sacramento, went on to American River JC, and then to Chico State College, where he received a BA in Geography. During college Jerry served in the Air Force Reserves, receiving an Honorable Discharge in 1972. He did graduate work in Community Development at Fresno State College, where he met his future wife, Victoria. They married 50 years ago in Sebastopol and lived in Vacaville and Vallejo before eventually settling in Santa Rosa, where they raised two sons, Thomas and David.

Jerry began his working life as a mail clerk, then intake worker at the Solano County Welfare Department in Vallejo, followed by various planning positions in Suisun City, the City of Santa Rosa, and James Hummer and Associates in Santa Rosa. He retired in 2008.

Jerry and his wife enjoyed many opportunities to travel, including trips to Hawaii, Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Peru, and Western Europe. He especially liked the adventure of exploring Aztec, Mayan, and Inca ruins. A member of the Sonoma County Woodcarvers, Jerry always looked forward to woodcarving with that group. His other hobbies included reading, collecting ship and railroad memorabilia, and gardening.

A kind, gentle, and humorous soul, Jerry will be remembered by his family as a loving, devoted, and caring son, husband, father, grandfather, nephew, and uncle. Jerry is survived by his wife, Victoria Duggan of Santa Rosa, his sons Thomas Duggan (Amy) of Seattle and David Duggan (Brittany) of Murphys, his grandchildren Alexander Duggan (Michaela), Abigail Duggan, Miles Duggan, Madeline Duggan, Josiah Duggan, Benjamin Duggan, and Annaliese Duggan, his mother Dorothy Duggan, his aunt Sandra Jackson, his nephew Ronald Mader (Megan), his great niece Nicole Mader, his great nephew Donald Balakin (Krysta), his sister-in-law Susan Anderson, nephew Jon Anderson (Amy) and niece Lauren Smith (David). He was predeceased by his father, James Duggan, and by his sister, Barbara Godsill. Baxter and Wilbur, the family's adopted Siamese cats, were by his side through most of his illness.

Special thanks to Fan Zhang, MD (Oncology), Carla Fracchia, MD (Palliative Medicine), Virginia, who welcomed us warmly to each medical visit, and all of the nurses and MA's in the Kaiser Santa Rosa infusion center. Jerry, who did not want a public memorial service, requested cremation with his ashes to be scattered at sea. His family will honor his wishes in August with a private memorial aboard a chartered boat off the Sonoma County coast.

Donations in Jerry's memory may be sent to Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County, 1820 Empire Industrial Ct. Suite E, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. (forgottenfelines.com)