Robert L. Duncan

Robert L. Duncan, 89, died peacefully July 20, 2016 at 8:15 pm at Heritage Services, Normal. His family was blessed to be with him until his final moments. He was born in Bloomington, Indiana, son of Earl and Delia Duncan. He married Betty Haygood in Greenville, Alabama, on February 25, 1956. Betty survives him, as do his four daughters, Julie Duncan of Evanston, Illinois, Lisa Barnhart (Steve) of Normal, Illinois, Lori Arnold (Brian) of Louisville, Kentucky, and Amy Lawrence (Rob) of Stillwater, Minnesota. He is also survived by a niece, Charla Anderson, of Stow, Ohio. Bob was a grandfather to eight and a great-grandfather to one. Preceding him in death were his sister, Lavonne Palazzo, and a niece, Cathy Hany.

Bob earned his Ph.D. in comparative literature from Indiana University before moving with his family to Illinois in 1961, where he took a position in the English Department at Illinois State University. He taught classes in literature and the Humanities at ISU for 32 years, until his retirement in 1993. In addition to his career as a professor, Bob was also a minister and in his younger days a traveling preacher, leading meetings in places as various as Indiana, Missouri, New Mexico and California. He was a member of College Park Christian Church in Normal, where he served as a teacher, preacher, and elder for over 40 years. Bob also served on the board of Home Sweet Home Mission, and was the sponsor for Intervarsity Christian Fellowship at ISU. During the final months of World War II, Bob served in the Army Air Corps, teaching cryptography at Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County, Illinois.

Bob will be remembered by those who knew and loved him as a devoted and caring husband and father, an affectionate grandfather and great-grandfather, and a beloved and committed teacher in the classroom and at the pulpit. He and his family enjoyed traveling to Tubingen, Germany, and Cambridge, England, where he spent time as a visiting scholar. His family has wonderful memories of those trips. One of Bob’s abiding interests was World War II and Holocaust history and literature. In 2008, it was his great privilege to meet and speak with one of his heroes, Holocaust survivor, humanitarian and author of Night, Elie Wiesel. Friends and colleagues often remarked that along with his deep knowledge of literature, philosophy and religion, Bob was always warm, generous and kindhearted to everyone he met. He was a serious scholar who could also be seriously silly, whether he was delighting his grandchildren with a funny face, or joyfully delivering the punch line to a favorite childhood story. His family has been overwhelmed by the number of people who have shared loving memories of Bob’s impact on their lives. He will be greatly missed, but his memory will be cherished by those who were fortunate enough to call him a husband, father, grandfather, teacher, mentor and friend.

Memorial Services will be held at College Park Christian Church on Saturday, July 30, at 11 am. with Brent Salm officiating. Visitation will precede the service from 9:30 - 11 a.m. Memorials may be made to College Park Christian Church or Home Sweet Home Mission.

The Duncan family wishes to thank Advocate BroMenn Hospice Services and Heritage Services for their compassion and dedicated care of Bob.

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