Horace Duncan

Highlands - Horace Gordon Duncan, CCM, CAE, born in Morganton, N.C. January 20th 1922 died October 11, 2008 in Fairfax, VA. He was the son of the Rev. Norvin C. and Mary Olivia Duncan of Asheville, N.C. He attended Patterson Agricultural School in Patterson, N.C. and graduated from Lee Edwards High School in Asheville in 1940. He also earned management certifications (CCM & CAE) from The Club Management Institute and The American Society of Association Executives and the United States Chamber of Commerce Institute, Washington, D.C.

In his younger years he began his career by working at The Asheville Times and The Langren Hotel in Asheville and the Biltmore Plaza restaurant in Biltmore. He served 3 1/3 years in World War II. After graduating from the Army Air Corps School of Photography at Lowry Field in Denver, Colorado, he studied aeronautical Tri-Metrogon mapping in Colorado Springs, where he was stationed and worked as a photogrammetrist mapping various areas of the world including the Burma India Theater.

Duncan was Executive Director of the Club Managers Association of America in Maryland, which is now in Alexandria, Virginia, from 1971 through 1987. He was General Manager of Cherry Hills Country Club in Englewood, Colorado for 13 years. He was also employed by the Denver Country Club as Assistant Manager for seven years. Additionally, he was associated with radio stations KMYR in Denver and WSKY in Asheville.

He and his family lived in Denver for more than 25 years. While in Denver, he was a member of The Exchange Club, and a member of Pinehurst Country Club. He served as a Director of the Colorado/Wyoming Restaurant Association and was inducted into the Colorado Hospitality Institutional Hall of Fame.

In 1967, he served as President of The Club Managers Association of America. Prior to that, held other executive positions as well as being a Director of that Association. In Denver, he also served as President and other executive offices of the Mile High Chapter of CMAA. From 1968 to 1971, he was Vice President of Wilscam Enterprises, the home of the Hungry Farmers, The Hungry Dutchman and the Broker Restaurants.

In Washington, D.C., he served as a treasurer of The Executive’s Club. He was a member of the American Society of Association Executives and the ASAE foundation. He served on the vestry of the Episcopal Church of Ascension in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He and his family lived in Gaithersburg for 17 years.

In Highlands, N.C., he was a member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Highlands. He was a member and a vestryman of the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation at which he also served on the building and future planning committees.

He was preceded in death by his wife Mary Alice Hoxie Duncan, whom he met and married in Denver. His son, Fred, also preceded him in death. He is survived by his daughter, Meredith Duncan Bowen, and son-in-law, Randall, of Fairfax, Virginia and his son, David Duncan, in Aurora, Colorado. He had eight grandchildren, Evan, Lindsay and Alexandra Bowen of Fairfax, Kris Martinell and her husband, Bill, of Dell Montana, Scott Catey and his wife, Tiara, of Gainesville, Florida, Katchen and Jessica Duncan of Key West, Florida and Heather Duncan Raboin of Rochester, Minnesota. He had 4 great grandchildren, Shelby, Skylar and Justin Martinell also of Dell, Montana and Olivia Elizabeth Duraine of Rochester, Minnesota.

The funeral service will be conducted at 2:00pm, Saturday, October 18, at the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation in Highlands, N.C. with the Rev. Brian Sullivan officiating. Interment will be at Highlands Memorial Park in Highlands.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Horace Duncan Rotary Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1741, Highlands, NC 28741 or the CMAA Club Foundation Scholarship Fund in memory of Horace Duncan, 1733 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.

Online condolences are available by visiting www.bryantgrantfuneralhome.com or by email.