Larry Thomas Duncan

Larry Thomas Duncan passed away at the Wilson Hospice House in Albany, GA, on September 4, 2020. Larry was born on July 22, 1946, in Columbus, GA to the late Obal DeVane Duncan and Kathryn Louise Castleberry Duncan. He graduated from Georgia Southern College in 1968 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and earned his Master’s Degree from The University of Tennessee School of Social Work at Nashville in 1972. At Georgia Southern he was a member of DPA fraternity which became ATO in his senior year. He was Vice President of the Student Government and served as President for part of his senior year. While at Southern, Larry was also President of the German Club. He was in the Army Reserves for 6 years. Larry worked for the State of Georgia Department of Human Resources from 1969 until 1979. He then entered private practice as a therapist assisting countless families over his 44 year career. He married the love of his life, Velma Jean Hayes of Bronwood, Georgia, on September 12, 1981, at their first Albany home. They began Chapter H of the Georgia Gold Wing Road Riders Association and Larry served as chapter President for several years and then as Assistant State Director for South Georgia. He then became “addicted” to genealogy which he did for the rest of his life with over 22,000 names in his database. Jean was by his side as he visited courthouses, cemeteries and cousins he met while doing his research – except when she would go shopping in the many towns they visited. Larry developed bile duct cancer in 2016 and Jean was with him the entire time he was at Emory and Phoebe Putney Hospitals for his surgery and recovery. He then took care of Jean through her own successful battle with cancer in 2018. Luckily, they began traveling in 2012 taking two big trips a year and continued after he recovered from his cancer. He and Jean laughed almost every day of their marriage and never had a big fight. In his own words, “It was the most rewarding time of my life – next to having my daughter.” He is survived by his daughter, Stephanie Duncan Haigh, and her wife, Lindsay Haigh of Atlanta, and his sister Clara Ellis and her husband, Joe, of Canton, Georgia. Larry also has two wonderful nephews, Joey Ellis and his wife Carla of Macon and Brad Ellis and his wife, Tara, of Atlanta. His request upon his death was to be cremated and placed in Jean’s casket upon her death. When asked why he wanted that, he replied “I just want to keep my eyes on her.” Joseph W. Jones Funeral Home of Leesburg was given the honor to handle Larry’s final arrangements. Condolences and memories may be shared at www.josephwjones.com. A Memorial Service for Larry will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made in Larry’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. (https://www.stjude.org/donate/)