News and Views

Pastor Richard Lee “Rick” Duncan, 68, was serving Melville Chapel UMC in Elkridge at the time of his death Feb. 13, 2017. A funeral service was held Feb. 18 at the funeral home and a Celebration of Life service was held Feb. 25, at Melville Chapel UMC.

Richard Lee Duncan was born Dec. 16, 1948. Of Scottish descent, he was proud of his Clan and attended the Alexandria, Va., Christmas parade of the clans. “The highlight of my and his life was spending a week in Scotland for a worldwide gathering of his Clan,” said his friend David Barthlow of Reisterstown.

Before his pastorate in Elkridge, Duncan had also served at Trinity UMC in Catonsville. He began his ministry at Harwood Park in Elkridge in 2007; in 2009 his service was to the cooperative parish of Harwood and Melville Chapel. A year ago in March he began serving the Melville Chapel charge.

As a young man in 1972, he played St. Stephen, singing with a group of young Christians in Baltimore who put on an evangelical musical. When the summer was over, they formed a singing trio that sang “to praise God,” said one of them, Donna Morris of Lawrenceville, Ga.

He worked for the Department of Corrections before following his calling into ministry in the church. One of his colleagues commented, “I worked with Rick at the DPSCS. It was a pleasure. Moving the inmate population was at times challenging. Rick made it seem so easy.”

He enjoyed gardening and donated much of what he grew to the food pantry at the church.

Survivors include his wife; daughter Christina L. Doyle and her husband Zack Doyle; and two granddaughters. He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law and two nieces.

Condolences may be sent to his wife, Tracy Rae Duncan, at P.O. Box 129, Jessup, MD 20794-0129.