Judge C.W. Duncan Jr. died December 27, 2018. He was 94 years old.
He was born August 3, 1924 in El Paso, Texas to C.W. “Church” Duncan Sr. and Ruth Prather Duncan.
Bud graduated from Killeen High School in 1943. Upon graduation he enlisted with the United States Marine Corps and served in the Pacific Theater during WWII. He was discharged in 1945 as a staff sergeant and returned home to Texas.
Bud met Katherine Jean Giles while attending Baylor University and they were married in 1948. He graduated from Baylor with a law degree in 1950 and was admitted to the State Bar that same year.
Bud and Katy moved to Killeen in 1951, where Bud practiced law until being recalled later that year by the U.S. Marines for the Korean Conflict. He served as a legal officer and was discharged as a 1st Lieutenant in 1953.
Bud and Katy raised two children, Deborah and C.W. III, in Killeen, and were married 55 years before Katy passed away in 2003.
He formed a law partnership with Davis Bragg, from 1954 to 1978, leaving the firm of Duncan, Bragg, Barron, and Phillips when he accepted an appointment to the 27th District Court of Texas from Governor Dolph Briscoe. He served 10 years in the 27th District Court before retiring to become a senior judge until 2014.
Bud was dedicated to serving the community. He served 25 years, 19 as president, on the Killeen ISD School Board, and 10 years as city judge. In addition, he was a member of Masonic Lodge, the Texas Bar Association, the Bell County Bar Association and served as chairman of the State Bar Unauthorized Law Committee.
He was an avid outdoorsman, especially enjoying whitewater canoeing. His river adventures included trips through the canyons of Big Bend, “running” the low water dams of the Guadalupe River, as well as floating most of the major rivers in Texas. Bud took up snow skiing in his late 60’s and continued to exercise well into his 80’s.
Bud’s spirit of adventure saw him drive to the southernmost tip of South America and back, take group trips to Europe and China, drive parts of New Zealand and across Australia, as well as skydive for his 85th birthday.
Bud was preceded in death by his wife Katy, his parents, two sisters, Bonnie Jean Duncan and Gra’Delle Duncan, and daughter, Debbie Allen.
He is survived by his son, C.W. “Dunc” Duncan III, his wife Jill, and their sons C.W. IV and Patrick; son-in-law Larry Allen and his sons Kyle and Casey.
The family would like to thank Heidi Weber for her devotion to the Duncan family over the past three decades. The family also wishes to thank the staff at Rosewood Retirement Center for their care and support of the Judge.
Memorial arrangements are being provided by Crawford Bowers Funeral Home.
