Shirley Rae Duncan

Shirley Rae (Carnahan) Duncan was born on November 10, 1936, in Huntingburg, Indiana, and passed away surrounded by the love of her family. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and woman of deep faith, Shirley lived a life marked by service, resilience, and quiet strength.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Lt. Col. Jack L. Duncan (Ret.); her daughter Teressa Duffee (Mark); her parents Roy E. Carnahan and Imogene M. (Perry) Carnahan; and her siblings LaRochelle Carnahan and Roy Carnahan (Marsha).

Shirley is survived by her brother James Carnahan (Sue) and by her children Cary Duncan (Sharon), Debra Coover (Rick), Michael Duncan, Larry Burkhead, and Kevin Duncan. Her legacy continues through her grandchildren Andrew, Christina, Nicholas, Richard, Amanda, Mathew, Wesley, Todd, and Holly, as well as her great-grandchildren Abigail, Emory, Julia, Brett, Penny, Madison, Landon, Katrina, Autumn, Joshua, Devin, Dylan, Cameron, Madelynn, Ellie, Jackson, Carson, Lacey, Lucas, Astra, and Aliza, and her great-great-grandchild Kendall.

Raised in Evansville, Indiana, Shirley graduated from Evansville Central High School in the Class of 1954. She married Jack L. Duncan, a dedicated U.S. Army officer who retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Together they built a life of purpose and adventure across numerous military assignments, including memorable years in the Panama Canal Zone. As an Army officer’s wife and homemaker, Shirley created a warm, stable home through every move and deployment while her faith in the Lord guided her daily life and shaped the kindness she extended to everyone she met.

Shirley possessed a remarkable gift for gardening and landscape design. While living at Fort Clayton in the Panama Canal Zone, she earned the prestigious Order of the Royal Palm twice, in 1969 and 1970, for the most outstanding landscape and lawn. She also coached a girls’ basketball team of ages 9–13 to a 15–1 record and a championship season, leaving a lasting impact through her leadership, encouragement, and competitive spirit.