Merle Albert Duncan (March 17th, 1931--October 13, 2005)
Merle was born on St. Patrick's day, the eldest son of Albert and Bernice Duncan. He was named for Merle Hufford, All-American football star for the Washington Huskies in 1927. His brother, Jay Robert Duncan, was eleven months younger than Merle. As boys, the two brothers were inseparable.
Merle attended Beverly Park Elementary and Highline High School, which in those days included both Junior High and High School programs in the same institution. He excelled as a student athlete, lettering in both football and basketball. Although he was offered a football scholarship to University of British Columbia, Merle was not ready for college and opted to join the Navy instead. He worked as an office clerk and earned the rank of Yeoman Second Class. While serving at Pier 91, he met and married his wife of fifty-three years, Lydia. Soon after their marriage, Merle did an overseas tour of duty, serving in Guam and Okinawa.
After being honorably discharged from the service, Merle used the GI Bill to attend Seattle U, majoring in education with a PE emphasis. He graduated in 1958 and got his first teaching job, at Monroe High School in Fairbanks, AK, through the largesse of the Jesuits. In 1961, he and his growing family returned to Seattle, where he worked for thirty-one years for the Highline School District teaching PE, remedial math, and Washington State History at Sunset Junior High, Glendale Junior High, Tyee High School, and Mt. Rainier High School. Merle coached basketball and football, eventually becoming head basketball coach at Mt. Rainier and, subsequently, at Tyee High School as well. He retired from teaching at the age of fifty-nine.
Merle had a long association with the asphalt paving industry through association with two of his life-long friends from high school. He worked on the crew during the summers and later as a bookkeeper for HiLine Asphalt. When two of his sons starting paving companies of their own, he continued to work for them after his retirement as an estimator and salesman.
Merle suffered a heart attack at the age of sixty-one and had a four-bypass operation. He made a full recovery, but complications from type 2 diabetes took its toll on his health. After retiring for good, he suffered a final, massive heart attack on October 13, 2005. He died at home.
As a wartime veteran, Merle was buried with full military honors at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington. He was survived by seven of his eight children, and thirteen grandchildren.
Composed by Steve Duncan
Merle was born on St. Patrick's day, the eldest son of Albert and Bernice Duncan. He was named for Merle Hufford, All-American football star for the Washington Huskies in 1927. His brother, Jay Robert Duncan, was eleven months younger than Merle. As boys, the two brothers were inseparable.
Merle attended Beverly Park Elementary and Highline High School, which in those days included both Junior High and High School programs in the same institution. He excelled as a student athlete, lettering in both football and basketball. Although he was offered a football scholarship to University of British Columbia, Merle was not ready for college and opted to join the Navy instead. He worked as an office clerk and earned the rank of Yeoman Second Class. While serving at Pier 91, he met and married his wife of fifty-three years, Lydia. Soon after their marriage, Merle did an overseas tour of duty, serving in Guam and Okinawa.
After being honorably discharged from the service, Merle used the GI Bill to attend Seattle U, majoring in education with a PE emphasis. He graduated in 1958 and got his first teaching job, at Monroe High School in Fairbanks, AK, through the largesse of the Jesuits. In 1961, he and his growing family returned to Seattle, where he worked for thirty-one years for the Highline School District teaching PE, remedial math, and Washington State History at Sunset Junior High, Glendale Junior High, Tyee High School, and Mt. Rainier High School. Merle coached basketball and football, eventually becoming head basketball coach at Mt. Rainier and, subsequently, at Tyee High School as well. He retired from teaching at the age of fifty-nine.
Merle had a long association with the asphalt paving industry through association with two of his life-long friends from high school. He worked on the crew during the summers and later as a bookkeeper for HiLine Asphalt. When two of his sons starting paving companies of their own, he continued to work for them after his retirement as an estimator and salesman.
Merle suffered a heart attack at the age of sixty-one and had a four-bypass operation. He made a full recovery, but complications from type 2 diabetes took its toll on his health. After retiring for good, he suffered a final, massive heart attack on October 13, 2005. He died at home.
As a wartime veteran, Merle was buried with full military honors at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington. He was survived by seven of his eight children, and thirteen grandchildren.
Composed by Steve Duncan
Merle Albert Duncan (March 17th, 1931--October 13, 2005)
Merle was born on St. Patrick's day, the eldest son of Albert and Bernice Duncan. He was named for Merle Hufford, All-American football star for the Washington Huskies in 1927. His brother, Jay Robert Duncan, was eleven months younger than Merle. As boys, the two brothers were inseparable.
Merle attended Beverly Park Elementary and Highline High School, which in those days included both Junior High and High School programs in the same institution. He excelled as a student athlete, lettering in both football and basketball. Although he was offered a football scholarship to University of British Columbia, Merle was not ready for college and opted to join the Navy instead. He worked as an office clerk and earned the rank of Yeoman Second Class. While serving at Pier 91, he met and married his wife of fifty-three years, Lydia. Soon after their marriage, Merle did an overseas tour of duty, serving in Guam and Okinawa.
After being honorably discharged from the service, Merle used the GI Bill to attend Seattle U, majoring in education with a PE emphasis. He graduated in 1958 and got his first teaching job, at Monroe High School in Fairbanks, AK, through the largesse of the Jesuits. In 1961, he and his growing family returned to Seattle, where he worked for thirty-one years for the Highline School District teaching PE, remedial math, and Washington State History at Sunset Junior High, Glendale Junior High, Tyee High School, and Mt. Rainier High School. Merle coached basketball and football, eventually becoming head basketball coach at Mt. Rainier and, subsequently, at Tyee High School as well. He retired from teaching at the age of fifty-nine.
Merle had a long association with the asphalt paving industry through association with two of his life-long friends from high school. He worked on the crew during the summers and later as a bookkeeper for HiLine Asphalt. When two of his sons starting paving companies of their own, he continued to work for them after his retirement as an estimator and salesman.
Merle suffered a heart attack at the age of sixty-one and had a four-bypass operation. He made a full recovery, but complications from type 2 diabetes took its toll on his health. After retiring for good, he suffered a final, massive heart attack on October 13, 2005. He died at home.
As a wartime veteran, Merle was buried with full military honors at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington. He was survived by seven of his eight children, and thirteen grandchildren.
Composed by Steve Duncan
Merle was born on St. Patrick's day, the eldest son of Albert and Bernice Duncan. He was named for Merle Hufford, All-American football star for the Washington Huskies in 1927. His brother, Jay Robert Duncan, was eleven months younger than Merle. As boys, the two brothers were inseparable.
Merle attended Beverly Park Elementary and Highline High School, which in those days included both Junior High and High School programs in the same institution. He excelled as a student athlete, lettering in both football and basketball. Although he was offered a football scholarship to University of British Columbia, Merle was not ready for college and opted to join the Navy instead. He worked as an office clerk and earned the rank of Yeoman Second Class. While serving at Pier 91, he met and married his wife of fifty-three years, Lydia. Soon after their marriage, Merle did an overseas tour of duty, serving in Guam and Okinawa.
After being honorably discharged from the service, Merle used the GI Bill to attend Seattle U, majoring in education with a PE emphasis. He graduated in 1958 and got his first teaching job, at Monroe High School in Fairbanks, AK, through the largesse of the Jesuits. In 1961, he and his growing family returned to Seattle, where he worked for thirty-one years for the Highline School District teaching PE, remedial math, and Washington State History at Sunset Junior High, Glendale Junior High, Tyee High School, and Mt. Rainier High School. Merle coached basketball and football, eventually becoming head basketball coach at Mt. Rainier and, subsequently, at Tyee High School as well. He retired from teaching at the age of fifty-nine.
Merle had a long association with the asphalt paving industry through association with two of his life-long friends from high school. He worked on the crew during the summers and later as a bookkeeper for HiLine Asphalt. When two of his sons starting paving companies of their own, he continued to work for them after his retirement as an estimator and salesman.
Merle suffered a heart attack at the age of sixty-one and had a four-bypass operation. He made a full recovery, but complications from type 2 diabetes took its toll on his health. After retiring for good, he suffered a final, massive heart attack on October 13, 2005. He died at home.
As a wartime veteran, Merle was buried with full military honors at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington. He was survived by seven of his eight children, and thirteen grandchildren.
Composed by Steve Duncan
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