If you build it, they will come.
The “Grand River Kid” has played his final round. On March 11, 2024, David Lawrie Duncan departed this world and began the next stage of his life. As he crossed over, he was surrounded by his beloved wife and his children who held his sweet hands and proclaimed their love for him one final time. With his passing, pieces of our hearts and uncountable others in this world went with him. While we, the living, weep, those dearly departed souls who went before him to the heavenly kingdom rejoiced upon the arrival of their friend. While our grief today is boundless, we must imagine Dave happy. His was a life well lived.
David was born on January 27, 1939, in Brooklyn, NY to Isobel and James Duncan. He was brother to John and Jamie Duncan (Donna Meehan Mersberg) whom he held close his entire life. In 1974, Dave married the love of his life, Judy, and for 50 years they were inseparable. For him, the sun rose and set with her.
Married earlier to Mary Kay Thorsby, Dave leaves behind three cherished sons and their spouses, Chris (Molly) Duncan, Craig Duncan (Yvette Cobarrubias), and Jeffrey Duncan. He loved his boys and their families with his whole heart. Through his union with Judy, Dave became “dad” to three other wonderful souls and their spouses, Rudy (Elaine) Manthei, Cindy Bordelove; and Scott (Darlina) Manthei. Together, Dave and Judy formed a new family that has been intact for half a century. His love for his new “children” was also full and complete.
An old song has a lyric that exclaims: “Deep in my heart there’s a house that can hold just about all of you.” Nothing sums up Dave’s approach to life better than this. He always knew that the human heart was not a “zero-sum” proposition, but, instead, an exponential entity whose capacity was limitless, and which only grew larger and more robust as new people were enveloped by its embrace. There are people of whom it is said that they never met a stranger. This is surely true of Dave. To list and name even his close friends would fill the pages of a novel. To say that he will be missed only underscores the inadequacy of words to tell the full tale of the human person.
While his love for others ranged far and wide, his love for his extensive family was always first in his heart. Dave was the beloved grandfather and great-grandfather to the children and their children of all his sons and his daughter and each of their spouses. Included are Chris’ (with their mom Laura Duncan), daughter Amelia (Kalan) Potter and son Arthur Potter; daughter Zoë Duncan; son Holden (Michaela) Duncan, and son Issac Duncan; and Maggie and John Schaller the daughter and son of Chris’ wife Molly; Craig’s (with mom Kimberly Vanbiesbrouck), daughter Isobel Duncan; and Sofia, Luke and Stella Sears the daughters and son of Craig’s wife Yvette; Jeff’s sons (with their mom Sonja Giesecke) Maddison and Dylan Duncan; Rudy’s (with their mom Cheryl Manthei), daughter Katherine Manthei; son Stephen (Angela) Manthei and daughter Sloane Manthei; daughter Elizabeth Manthei; and, with his mom Elaine Manthei, son Carl Manthei; and sons of Elaine, Abby and Kevin O’Neil; Cindy’s (with their father Scott Bordelove), son Michael (Emily) Bordelove; daughter Barbara (Kevin) Kolman and their daughter Abby and son Nate Kolman, Josh (Rose) Bordelove and their daughters Cece, Hazel and Eliza Bordelove; Scott and Darlina’s son Erik Manthei; Ryan Manthei and his daughter Clara Manthei (with mom Maria Josẻ Echeverria Cedeño); Brandon Manthei; and Jordan Manthei.
Dave was also uncle to John, Vicki, Darlene, and Tommy.
Though born in Brooklyn, Dave Duncan was a man of Detroit, Michigan in his heart and soul. Dave was a proud graduate (class of 1957) of Cass Technical H.S. in Detroit. He later was drafted and served in the U.S. Army at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia. Dave spent most of his professional career in the printing business where he worked in numerous roles, most of which ultimately involved sales. He was immensely proud of his work with some of the largest companies in the city over the years. During his career, he worked for Robins Printing Co., Madison Printing Co., Gaylord Printing Co., and, finally, EGT. Upon his “retirement,” he and Judy moved to Las Vegas where he assumed the position of Practice Administrator for Nevada Eye and Ear.
Dave is affectionately referred to as the Grand River Kid because, for most of his life, he lived either on or just off Grand River Ave. and held a number of jobs as a young man on that same street. Indeed, by his count, he lived or worked at 15 different houses or locations on this same street from the middle of the inner city to the suburbs of Novi and Farmington Hills, Michigan. Throughout his life, he haunted the bowling alleys, golf courses, hockey rinks, baseball fields, racket-ball courts, and perhaps a bar or two of the city. He loved sports with a passion both as a player and as a fan. The Tigers, Lions, and Red Wings were his teams, and he spent many days and nights at Tiger Stadium, Olympia, Joe Louis Arena, and the Pontiac Silver Dome rooting them on and could name hundreds of players and statistics from memory. Among his favorite memories was attending the 1968 World Series in Detroit with his father-in-law Earl Thorsby. While the list of Dave’s “favorite” places is vast, one deserves a special mention. For many years Dave and Judy were members at Edgewood Country Club in Commerce Township, MI. There Dave met, played golf, and partied with many of his best and life-long friends as well as his sons. Over his time there he was asked to serve as President of the club for two years. If you asked him what he missed most about his beloved “home” state it would be that club and his partners-in-crime who will remain nameless here to protect the guilty as well as the innocent. In his later Vegas years, he found new friends at his local watering hole P. T.’s Pub where he was dubbed “The Mayor” and spent countless hours bringing the keno board to its knees—or at least trying to, and in constant conversation about all things with newer friends. He loved you all.
Among Dave’s greatest strengths was his never-ending commitment to being present for others. No one remembered more birthdays, made more calls, sent more gifts, or kept in greater touch with literally hundreds of people than he did. He loved people of all stripes and kinds for who they were with his whole heart. When the Drs. told us that his heart had simply given out it seemed impossible since the truth of the man is that he was all heart—and it held just about all of us. To say he will be missed is perhaps the understatement of all times. He made everyone around him better because each and everyone who called him son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, or friend knew that he “saw” them, that he loved them, and that he was their biggest fan. Once you were with him you were always with him, and he was always with you. The holy scripture calls upon the faithful to “die to the self” in order to honor the call of Christ to “love one another as I have loved you.” David Lawrie Duncan answered that call day in and day out with grace, intelligence, charm, humor, and unbridled love and generosity. The world was better for his life and it will be worse for his absence. Rest in peace good and faithful servant until we greet each other again in that eternal kingdom that has been promised to us all. You were loved in the fullest measure.
A funeral service for David will be held Sunday, March 17, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Palm Eastern Mortuary, 7600 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89123. Following the funeral service will be a committal service from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM at Palm Eastern Cemetery, 7600 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89123.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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