Obituary of Ray Lester Duncan

Ray L. Duncan, loving husband and father of three girls, passed away and entered the kingdom of heaven at the age of 91 on Monday, November 11, 2019.

Ray was born to Ralph and Gladys (Wall) Duncan on March 14, 1928 on his family’s farm near Iberia, Missouri. He enlisted in the US Army in 1946 and served our country for 22 years in the US, Japan, Korea, Europe, Scandinavia and Thailand before retiring from the military to El Paso, Texas in 1968. He went on to build and own two successful businesses over the next 20+ years. Along the journey, he met and married the love of his life, Louise Marie LeClair on September 8, 1953. Together, they traveled the world by air, land and sea and raised three daughters, Midge, Kathy and Janet.

Ray was a man with many interests and talents. He enjoyed playing golf, hunting fowl and game, growing roses and eight-foot tall geraniums (really). As a quiet artist, he spent much of his free time painting people, scenes and landscapes of the southwestern US.  His architectural vision and passion for working with his hands led he and Louise to design and build a beautiful passive solar home and adjoining office in El Paso. He loved to travel, listen to music, collect and tinker with antique clocks and could fix most anything. He will be remembered for his generosity, smiling blue eyes and a penchant for things to be done just so.

Ray was committed to serving the communities where they lived through the Knights of Columbus, Exchange and Elks Clubs, most often benefitting young children and local police. Perhaps his favorite was the Duke City Exchange Club in Albuquerque where his club was responsible for selling the calendars for the Annual International Balloon Fiesta.

Ray was preceded in death by his wife Louise, his father Ralph, his mother Gladys and his brother Gene. He is survived by his three daughters, Midge and her husband Gerry Mann, Kathy and her husband Mark Olivier, Janet and her husband Rogelio Ramirez de La O, his sisters Vada Hensley and Vivian Gardner, his grandchildren Matt Olivier, Lauren Olivier and Shanda Schmidt, his great-granddaughter Teresa Schmidt and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life Mass will be held Saturday, November 16, 2019 at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Lake Ozark, Missouri at 10:00 AM followed by interment at Curry Cemetery in Iberia, Missouri.

In lieu of flowers, the family would be honored with donations to the American Lung Association.