Shirley Ann Hamilton Duncan, 1936-2019
Shirley Ann (Hamilton) Duncan, 82, peacefully passed away on June 5, 2019, at Ascension Providence Hospital in Waco, Texas.
Shirley was born at home on November 8, 1936, near Center City, Texas, to James Alex Hamilton and Edna Blanche (Childre) Hamilton. She was the last of six children to join the family—five brothers had preceded her.
She attended Star School, and after her family moved to Beeville, Texas, she graduated from Beeville High School in 1955, the same year she enrolled in Southwest Texas State Teachers College in San Marcos. She withdrew in 1957 to take care of her parents, who had returned to Star. In 1966 she married Glenn Dale Duncan and became a mother and rancher, roles she proudly held until her death.
“I am a grateful and content woman”—Shirley Duncan
Motherhood, especially, gave her purpose. Cultivating and caring for the land, particularly mowing, gave her deep satisfaction. Industrious, creative, and hard working by nature, she made countless contributions to her family and community. Her allegiance to Star School was particularly strong—she served as tax assessor/collector for the Star I.S.D. for a period and drove a school bus for a number of years, in addition to ardently supporting athletic programs.
An accomplished athlete herself, she was a lifelong sports fan, especially of women’s college basketball. She was a member of Star Methodist Church and had great religious conviction; she was charitable to anyone in need. She was a profound Democrat. She brought tremendous energy, passion, and fun to anything she undertook, and she conveyed those same qualities to anyone who knew her. She left the world with the same optimism she carried through her life. In 2005, on the occasion of her 50th high school reunion, she wrote, “I know about love and I have been loved. I know about hard work and I am not afraid of it … I am a grateful and content woman.”
Immediate survivors include her husband of fifty-three years, Glenn Dale Duncan, of Payne Gap, Texas; a son, Samuel Dale Duncan, of Fort Worth, Texas; a daughter, Mollie Ann Duncan Kelly and her spouse Trammell Kelly, of Waco, Texas; a granddaughter, Abby Ann Parmer; and step granddaughters Paige Kelly and McKenzie Kelly.
A celebration of Shirley’s life will be held in the coming weeks.
Donations in Shirley’s memory may be sent to:
Alzheimer’s Association
P.O. Box 96011
Washington, DC 20090-6011
To make an online donation in her name, use: http://tinyurl.com/y6ansskm
Payne Gap Cemetery Association
P.O. Box 262
Goldthwaite, Texas 76844
Hurst Ranch Cemetery Association
P.O. Box 325
Star, Texas 76880
