Herbert Laverne Duncan

Herbert L. Duncan stepped into eternity on September 24, 2022. He was 94.  His greatest achievement was loving the Lord God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength and loving others as himself. Through every blessing and every battle in his life, Herb never wavered from his faith in a sovereign God and salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Herb was born in Chehalis WA to Lewis E. and Mildred (Tucker) Duncan of Mossyrock WA on March 21, 1928. The first of four siblings, he grew up in Mossyrock and participated in the Boy Scouts, 4-H Club, FFA, raised dairy cows, played high school football and baseball, and played saxophone in the school band. He worked in a sawmill during the summers and learned to fly a light airplane.  Herb had a terrific singing voice, enjoyed fishing and woodworking.

In 1946 he enlisted with the US Army engineers at Fort Lewis and served as an electrician with the occupation forces in Japan.  He returned to the states and attended Centralia Junior College and then Oregon State University but was recalled to active duty to serve as a military escort for Korean War dead until 1952. He received the World War II Victory Medal and Army of Occupation Medal.

Returning to OSU to complete his BA degree and teaching certificate, he began dating his lovely bride, Doris Anne Proctor. They married in 1954, had three daughters and enjoyed 67 years together.  Herb taught Industrial Arts at Centralia High School, became the principal at Entiat High School and then served as superintendent of schools in Pe Ell, WA. The family moved to Kent in 1966 where Herb became the Education and Training Director for Boeing and later for St. Joseph Hospital in Tacoma from 1969-1987. At St. Joseph, he developed programs for Women’s Health education, Oncology education and brought numerous physician’s and surgeon’s conferences to the Seattle-Tacoma area. He finished his distinguished career in education at Bates Vocational College in Tacoma.

Living in Kent, WA, Herb was active in Faith Baptist Church leading adult Bible classes and congregational worship, serving in countless ways over the years. After retirement, Herb and Doris Anne moved to Edgewood, WA, and enjoyed gardening, refurbishing antique furniture, travelling, taking on church building and landscaping projects, and leading Bible studies at Jovita Baptist Church (Edgewood Church of Joy).

Herb and Doris Anne moved to assisted living in 2017, where he faithfully cared for her through dementia until she passed in September 2021.  Herb’s heartbreak was profound, but he devoted his time to prayer and encouraging others until he joined her in Heaven a year later.

In addition to his wife Doris Anne, Herbert was predeceased by his parents, Lewis, and Mildred Duncan of Mossyrock, WA and brothers Elmore Duncan of Portland, OR and Donald Duncan of Columbus, OH.

Herbert is survived by his daughters, Kathryn Johnson ( Wesley) of Everett, Sara D. Paz of Gig Harbor, and Jennifer Duncan-Taylor (Dennis) of Sequim, two adored grandchildren, Alexandra P. Cody (Carr) of Durham, NC and Avery Paz of Gig Harbor, and their father, A. Sonny Paz of West Tawakoni, TX.  Herb’s sister, JoAn Gallagher (Dan) of Longview, WA survives him, as well as many Duncan family cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Herbert will be buried at Tahoma National Cemetery on October 17 at 1:30 pm.  A Celebration of Life will be held on November 12 at 1:00 pm at Edgewood Church of Joy, 1120 114th Ave. East, Edgewood, WA  98372. Friends and family are invited to both events. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Salvation Army in Herb’s memory.