Thomas Duncan

Thomas Albert (Tommy) Duncan was delivered by Dr. Charles Judd at the Unionville Hospital on August 19, 1960, the firstborn son of Frank and Nancy Duncan and firstborn grandson of George and Myrtle Duncan.

On a sunny Lucerne day a few years later, he shoved off the peak of the front hill astride his sister Mary's tricycle, lifted his feet from the pedals, and raced atop the rocky gravel to the bottom. This was the first time his parents worried his choices would lead him down a hard path, but it wouldn't be the last.

Tommy attended grade school at West Putnam R-3 and high school at PCHS in Unionville, where he lettered in football, basketball, and track, and earned several All-Conference and All-District honors, including for both Offense and Defense in football, and in basketball conference MVP, scoring and rebounding records, and a scholarship to Missouri Valley College. Though Tommy's athleticism captured the eye of many, his heart, determination, and tenacity set him apart and are still remembered by his coaches, teammates, and fans all these years later. He carried these qualities into his work as an army medic, landscaper, and building laborer (carpenter, concrete, drywall), and his precise methods earned him the nickname Mr. Perfect from his colleagues and friends.

Tommy's life journey was not without challenges. He battled shadows of addiction, yet his story is defined not by these struggles but by extraordinary redemption. When Tommy loved you, he was a sun whose light warmed the entire galaxy. If he sometimes broke hearts and trusts, he redeemed himself many times over, showing us that healing is possible even amidst chaos and trauma.

Tommy had several symptoms, substance misuse included, which exist among the constellation of those associated with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disorder related to head injuries often sustained during contact sports and military combat. As part of his commitment to helping future generations, he donated his brain to a CTE research study to advance knowledge of this disorder. His act of selflessness reflects the importance he placed on understanding and addressing the impact of the game he excelled at and loved despite the personal cost.

The songs and lyrical poetry of James Taylor and Jackson Browne were his lifelong loves. Their lyrics, and those of Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, and more recently Nathanial Ratliff, provided solace and expression when words failed Tommy. He identified with themes reflecting his own struggles and triumphs, as well as those of the human experience. These songs were his faithful companions throughout his life, in times good and bad, and it was his great joy to share them with others. He also liked fishing, crosswords, coffee, thrift shopping, giving nicknames, and writing poems like this one:

I grew up in an old house

High upon the hill

With the summer heat and winter cold

A garden and a well

A picture-perfect window

And a tree that needed fell

Far and distant memories

Of our house up on the hill.

Tommy's earthly journey ended on February 7, 2025, in the company of his sisters. Among those who preceded him in death are his parents, paternal grandparents, maternal grandparents Virginia and Albert Neighbors, sister Cathy Langley, aunt Linda Adams, and brother-in-law Tim Cornelison. Among those who survive him are his daughters Amber Do (Amber Danks), Andi Suzy (Andi Duncan and partner Taylor Stuart), and Pooh (Abbigail Crane and husband John); his sons Deke (Derrick Duncan), Dalty (Dalton Duncan), and Dyl (Dylan Duncan), his brother G.A. (George Duncan and wife Stefanie), his sisters Patty  (Pat Cook and husband John), Espy (Paula DiTallo), Jammer (Mary Beyene and husband Nate), and Nino / Clancy Jane (Glen Duncan Cornelison), Girl Friend For Life (Dayna Pittman Christopher), his aunts Judy, Beverly, and Lois, ex-wife Karla Buck, and many grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

As we remember Tommy, let us fix our minds on his triumphs and those of ours to which he contributed. As we remember Tommy, let us fix our minds on his warm, easy laugh and those times our laughs came so easily around him. As we remember Tommy, let us fix our minds on the songs he sang to us and those he sang together with us. As we remember Tommy, let us think of his life as a testament to loving deeply, fighting valiantly, and seeking redemption. Let us carry him in our broken hearts forever.

The family will have a private memorial on February 23, and his life will additionally be celebrated at other events in Lucerne and Unionville, which will be announced in advance later this year.

Tommy was inspired by Native American poetry, including this paraphrased version of a quote attributed to Chief Crowfoot: "Life is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in winter, and the shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset". Loves you, Tommy. Bye for now. We'll miss you forever.