Roy Harding Duncan, age 99, of Paducah, passed away at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 2, 2021, at Mercy Health Lourdes Hospice Center. Roy was born March 7, 1921, in Rossington, Kentucky. He was a graduate of Heath High School. After Pearl Harbor, he married his childhood sweetheart, Eileen Spears. Roy and Eileen raised eight (8) children together. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army who served in the 3rd Army, 11th Armored Division, 21st Armored Infantry Battalion under Gen. Patton during WWII. He was involved in several engagements, including the Battle of the Bulge. He participated in the liberation of the Mauthausen and Gusen concentration camps in Austria.
Roy worked as an accountant and cartage/logistics agent for the L & N railroad for over 40 years. He enjoyed stamp and coin collecting, bird watching, was an active member of the Sons’ of the American Revolution and the Ballard-Carlisle and McCracken County historical and genealogical societies. Roy gave numerous presentations to schools and historical organizations regarding his service during WWII. He met his second wife, Jeneva Waters Northrup, during an 11th Armored Division reunion.
Roy was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel in 1993; received the Distinguished Veterans Award from Paducah/McCracken County and named a Duke of Paducah by the City of Paducah in 2018; received the Certificate of Honor and Appreciation from Operation Veteran’s Angel and was inducted into the Heath High School Hall of Fame in 2019.
Roy was preceded in death by his parents: John “Toad” Duncan and Maud Ethel Green Duncan; his first wife, Eileen Spears Duncan; his second wife, Jeneva Waters Northrup; and his siblings: Flora Duncan, Cozette Welcer, William Brack Duncan, Carlos Duncan, Calvin H. Duncan, Bettie Huebner, James H. Duncan, and Robbie Duncan.
He is survived by his sisters: Weda Miller, Paducah, KY, and Ruth Dale, Westland, MI; and three sisters-in-law: Helen Duncan and Iris Spears Brelin, both of Paducah, KY; and Bonnie Cram of St. Francis, KS, and one brother-in-law, Fred Waters of Colby, KS.
His surviving children are Carol Duncan-Dixon (Loman), Orange Park, FL; Roy Duncan Jr. (Melinda), Lexington, KY; Jane Duncan, Bardstown, KY; Jewel Duncan Collett (Dwayne), Chesterfield, MO; Mark Duncan (Pam), Edgewater, FL; Jesse Todd Duncan, (Jessica), Jeffersontown, KY; Derek Duncan (Jenny), Jeffersontown, KY; Jon Duncan (Kari), Memphis, TN; Myra Northrup, San Juan Capistrano, CA; Gaye Northrup Bekkering (Ernst), Tahlequah, OK.
His surviving grandchildren are Jennifer Ramage, Orange Park, FL; Kevin Ramage Lighthouse Point, FL; Judy Cotton, Fleming Island, FL; Jeffrey Dixon (Jennifer), Green Cove Springs, FL; Jason Duncan (Kim), Georgetown, KY; Allison Roberts (Robbie), Lexington KY; Amanda Lawson (Dillon), Wesley Chapel, FL; Meena Shams-Iwanaga (Ryan), San Jose, CA; Jacob Shams (Ginny), Bardstown, KY; David Shams (Amanda), Washington D.C.; Melanie Dailey (Mike), Rutherfordton, NC; Stephanie Mattingly (Michael), St. Matthews, KY; Kirk Rose (Becky), Coden, AL; Brandon Duncan (Kim), Paducah, KY; Darla Sharpe, (Gary) Edgewater, FL; Marcie Le Brun (Johnpaul), South Daytona Beach, FL; Matthew McCorkle, El Paso, TX ; Zachary Lloyd, Clifton Forge, VA; Hannah Duncan, Farnborough, England; Private J.T Benningfield, Ft. Benning, GA; Ian Duncan, Jeffersontown, KY; Blake Duncan, Jeffersontown, KY; Abigail Duncan, Memphis, TN; Caroline Duncan, Memphis, TN; Grace Duncan, Memphis, TN; Corrie Rothman (David) Carmel Valley, CA; Matt Mitchell (Melissa), Houston, TX; Mandy Davis (Richard), Jackson MS.
His surviving great-grandchildren: Avery Duncan Ramage, Adam Cotton, Mikki, Kameron, Lillian, and Jonathan Mitchell, Parker and Taylor Duncan, Caleb and Clayton Roberts, Asa and Arlo Lawson, Keats and Monroe Iwanaga, Olivia Grace, Goben, and Duncan Shams, Martha Shams, Katie Mattingly Grimes (Klayton), Lily and Ben Mattingly, Connor, Matthew, and Caitlin Dailey, Ryan and Megan Pelinsky-Rose, Alex, Adam, Andrew, and Anthony Loeffler, Cody and Alex Duncan, Olivia, Ethan, and Sophia Sharpe, Lucas and Elizabeth Le Brun, Henry Rothman, Oliver Davis, Lenora, and Abby Lou Mitchell.
His great-great-grandchildren are Eleanor and Rowan Cotton.
Also, Roy is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and nephews, and great-grand nieces and nephews.
Services will be held on Saturday, February 6, 2021, at Milner and Orr Funeral Home at 120 Memorial Drive, Paducah, KY with Rev. Jamie Eubanks officiating. Military Honors will be conducted by United States Army.
Family visitation at 10:00 a.m.
Friends visitation is from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Funeral services at 1:00 p.m.
Expression of sympathy may be made in Roy’s name to:
The Wounded Warrior Project at
(855) 448-3997
McCracken County Historical and Genealogical Society
270.442.2510 ext. 139
866.829.7532 ext. 139 (Toll-Free)
Ballard-Carlisle Historical and Genealogical Society
(270) 335-5059
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