Funeral Services for James Robert Duncan of Brookhaven are 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with burial in Riverwood Memorial Park. Riverwood Family Funeral Services is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation is Monday, Sept. 1, 2014, from 5 until 8 p.m. at the church. Rosary will be held at 7:30 p.m.

Mr. Duncan, 74, died Friday, Aug. 29, 2014, at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland. He was born on Aug. 6, 1940, in East Liverpool, Ohio, to Robert and Helen Duncan.

Mr. Duncan completed his undergraduate degree at Kent State University in Ohio where he was a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and enrolled in the army ROTC program. He was commissioned a second lieutenant at graduation. He then received a Master of Forestry degree from the University of Michigan.

He then entered the military service and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, from 1963 to 1965 as a first lieutenant. In 1965, he was a member of a combat engineer battalion that was sent to the central highlands of Vietnam to build a helipad for the first Calvary division.

After leaving the military, he was in the hardwood lumber business until his retirement. While in that business he was chairman of the Hardwood Export Council and served terms as a director for the National Hardwood Lumber Association, the Railway Tie Association and Hardwood Manufacturers Association.

He loved to travel and went to numerous countries, he especially liked going on cruises. He was an avid hunter, especially of deer and ducks. He obtained his pilot’s license and enjoyed flying his own planes. He also enjoyed woodworking and made pieces of furniture and cabinetry for his friends and family.

Preceding him in death were his parents.

Survivors are his wife, Joyce Duncan; son, Tom Duncan and wife, Kathryn; daughter, Katie Jones and husband, Jack; his brother, Jerry Duncan and wife, Kathy; five grandchildren, Amanda and Zac Duncan, Garrett Jones, Taylor Jones and wife, Claire, and Abbigail Jones.

We want to thank Dr. Ruth Fredricks, the nursing staff at St. Dominic’s Hospital and Hospice Ministries for their excellent care.

A special thanks to his sitters Joyce Bass, Gail Thames, Dora Moore and Michelle Daniels for their tireless devotion to his care.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 227 East Cherokee Street, Brookhaven, MS 39601, or the cancer research organization of your choice.

To express your thoughts to the family, you may visit riverwoodfamily.com and click on his name to leave a comment.