Wallace Thompson Duncan Jr.

Known to his friends and family as Tom, Wally, or “Papa D,” he was born August 18, 1944 in Washington DC.

Tom was a devoted husband and father, a loving grandfather, a loyal friend, and respected colleague. His innate honor, honesty, and decency marked a life well lived. He loved his family, boating, following the stock market, and the music of Elvis Presley.

Tom married Elizabeth (“Beth”) Brown Duncan in September 1968 and they had four children who in turn blessed them with seven grandchildren. Since 1978, they hosted their children and extended family at their “beach cottage” on the Lower Machodoc near Montross, VA. The beach cottage was where their children, grandchildren, and friends enjoyed fishing, tubing, jet skiing, and water skiing. Over the decades, Tom taught more than 100 kids how to water ski. The beach cottage was also where so many of his friends, family and neighbors learned from him the gifts of kindness, patience, fiscal prudence, as well as the mechanics of boat and home repairs, and the arts of cleaning fish and picking crabs. The beach cottage will be where the family will continue to gather and reminisce about their beloved Papa D.

He was devoted to his extended family, providing long term care for several family members in their advanced ages and hosting or attending regular family reunions. He also served his communities as the treasurer of Pleasant View Swimming Pool (30 years), Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 925 in Kensington, MD (5 years), and as a board member of his neighborhood homeowners association in Fredericksburg, VA (10 years). Each year, he volunteered to provide free tax preparation to the needy, and to most family members.

He grew up in Washington DC where his father had a dentistry practice on Capitol Hill. His sister Jean’s fondest memories are of summers spent at the family’s cottage in Long Beach, MD where they learned to fish, crab, water ski, and just enjoy being outdoors. Tom had a successful 33-year career as an auditor with the Internal Revenue Service in the Washington DC area and raised the children with Beth in Montgomery County, MD. After retiring, he and Beth moved to Fredericksburg, VA.

Tom is survived by his wife, Beth, and children Jennifer Nelson (Jeff), David (Teresa), James, and William. His grandchildren Eliza, James, Kate, Caroline, Megan, Trevor, and Griffin will miss him tremendously. He is also survived by his sister, Jean Wagenius (Dwight) of Minnesota. He is predeceased by his parents Wallace Thompson Duncan Sr. and Virginia Rae Duncan, and daughter-in-law Julie McCutcheon Duncan.

There will be a private burial on Monday, December 5th. A celebration of Tom’s life, open to all who knew and loved him, will be held at 10am on Saturday, December 17th at Fredericksburg Presbyterian Church, 810 Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401. A reception will follow at 12 Gallagher Lane, Fredericksburg, VA 22405.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in Tom’s name to finding a cure for polycystic kidney disease at www.pkdcure.org.