Peg Duncan

Margaret (Peg) Anne Officer Duncan, born June 25th, 1929 in Creston, Iowa to Ethelyn Margaret Dickens and Wallace Burwell Officer, died peacefully in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday, June 8th. She lived a full life centered on her love of family, community, and faith.

She cherished her upbringing in rural Iowa with two older brothers, Wallace Burwell Jr. and Charles Dickens, and a younger sister, Mary Catherine. Her favorite childhood memories included visits to her maternal family home in Diagonal and working at the soda fountain at Lee Pratt’s Drug Store in Burt, where she developed a life-long appreciation for a well-made milkshake. Her family valued public education and community involvement. During her high school years, she loved playing on her school’s basketball team and enjoyed music and singing, learning a repertoire of songs that would delight and uplift her family for the rest of her life.

Peg’s decision to become an educator was influenced by her father and her maternal aunt Vera Dickens, who both enjoyed successful careers as school superintendents in Iowa. Following her graduation from Burt High School, Peg attended Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, where she joined Pi Beta Phi sorority. In 1952, with a Bachelor of Arts in Education in hand, she embarked on a series of adventures that began when she and a classmate accepted teaching positions in Seattle, Washington. She would spend 6 years teaching 5th grade at Seward Demonstration School and Wedgewood Elementary. It was during that time that Peg took time off from teaching to tour post-war Europe via the Queen Mary. She delighted in the beauty of the ship and claimed that at one point she successfully passed as a first class passenger to visit its swimming pool. Years later, Peg encouraged her teenage daughters to travel, hosted many exchange students, and returned to Europe accompanied by her family.

While in Seattle, Peg shared an upstairs apartment with other teachers in a house where the downstairs apartment was occupied by another group of friends, including Thomas Owen Duncan, a fishery biologist working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They were married July 5, 1956 at the First United Methodist Church in West Bend, Iowa. Tom’s work took them to Washington D.C. and Fayetteville, Arkansas before they settled in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, the place they called home for more than 40 years.

Peg returned to teaching in Arkadelphia, where as a first grade teacher at Louisa E.Perritt Primary School she was instrumental in creating a beloved school garden and butterfly program. She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, Ruth Circle, Delta Kappa Gamma, Clark County Women’s Library Association, Colerain Club and Daughters of the American Revolution. With Tom, she volunteered for the Arkadelphia Chamber of Commerce and served on the Board of Directors of Group Living, Inc.

Peg delighted in sharing her love of home and cooking. She happily gave away her best recipes and curated a large collection. A favorite was her yeast rolls, which she said she could “make in her sleep” because of the countless times she made them for family, friends, and bake sales. Her home was a sanctuary for those who needed encouragement and for animals that needed a home. Her daughters will remember her as supporting, loving, and adventurous. She faced life’s challenges with optimism and fearlessness. She and Tom made the difficult decision to leave Arkadelphia in 2017 to be nearer to their daughters, but always considered it to be home.

Her remains will be returned to Arkadelphia to be buried with her husband at Unity Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. August 2, 2024 at the First United Methodist Church in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

Peg leaves her daughters, Susan Daniell (Douglas), Catherine Duncan (Darryl Wise), Sarah Riley (Kevin), and Nancy Duncan (Kathy Hurley); and grandsons Owen Daniell, Guinness Riley and Finn Riley. Her family wishes to acknowledge the excellent care she received at the end of her life by the compassionate staff of the Mayo Clinic and McGraw Community Hospice center in Jacksonville, Florida. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church of Arkadelphia, Arkansas or Group Living, Inc.