William Cory Duncan

William (Bill) Duncan, age 75, of Aurora, Colorado, passed away on March 21, 2020. Bill is survived by his wife, Carolyn Moller Duncan; a brother, Robert Duncan (Marjorie) of Michigan; sister Betty Duncan (David Ham) of North Carolina; a son, Andrew Duncan (Stacie) of Brighton, Colorado; a daughter, Wendy White (Will) of Aurora, Colorado; and five grandchildren – Joshua, Trent, Elizabeth, Kaitlyn, and Garrett and one step-grandson, Liam.

Bill was born in Jackson, Michigan to James and Helen Duncan, who were both teachers. During his early childhood, he lived in Detroit then on a farm in Jerome, Michigan. When Bill was a teenager, the family moved to Adrian, Michigan where he attended high school, graduating in 1962. He attended Adrian College, but before completing college he joined the U.S. Army. His three years of service was in Army Intelligence at Fort Meade, Maryland. After serving his country, he returned to Michigan where he graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in Business and a minor in Chemistry. In April 1966, he married Judy Gibbs. Together they had two children, Andrew Scott Duncan and Wendy Lynn Duncan. Bill loved sports, spent time restoring a classic Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk, and traveling. He had been to all 50 states.

Bill began his civilian career in sales. Bill sold fabricated parts to the auto industry in Detroit; shower doors and hardware products to the retail trade in New York; and chemical products and hazardous waste recycling services to metal finishing companies nationally. After settling in Denver, Bill started, built and sold two companies. He was a Certified Practitioner and Trainer of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Later, Bill was involved in TEC (an international organization of CEO’s). As a TEC Chair he helped CEOs in many companies plan and set goals. Bill was Vice President of Trust Company of America from 2002 through 2004 in charge of sales. In 2005 Bill became a national business consultant helping CEOs with their long-term visions and goals and he assisted many with turnarounds which took a business that needed help and pointed it in the right direction.

In his business life, Bill touched many people in positive ways. Bill was a mentor, confidant, and was able to discuss hard truths that people usually did not want to hear let alone accept, however, he cushioned the blow with alternatives to improve the situation.

In May 2005, he married Carolyn Moller. After Bill retired from his consulting business in 2008, he came to work in Carolyn’s law practice. If you asked Bill his title, he would cheerfully tell you he was Carolyn’s husband, business manager, paralegal and gopher doing whatever Carolyn told him to do. While clients and vendors might not remember his job title, they usually remembered his job description. Bill was always the calming voice of reason and cared deeply for all that he helped whether it was as a witness to an estate plan, a debt negotiation, a bankruptcy or divorce.

Together Bill and Carolyn enjoyed cycling and when he was not riding, he was the best support team ever. Bill and Carolyn enjoyed collecting artwork and masks from their travels throughout the US and other countries with each piece of art or mask having its own story as to how and why it was selected. Bill was always up for getting together with family and friends, going to favorite restaurants, and just having a good time.

Bill was very proud of his children Andrew and Wendy. He admired their accomplishments and their kindness, compassion and caring towards others. While he may not have always told Andy and Wendy that he was proud of them, he certainly told others.

When Bill spoke of Andy his heart beamed. He always told the same story of how Andy refused his wise advice about how to handle an early severance package when it was offered. Bill told Andy his plan was crazy and wasn’t going to happen. Nothing made Bill prouder than to be proven wrong because not only did Andy succeed that time, but each time thereafter he landed on his feet and continued to climb the corporate ladder, culminating to his current position directing a global team. Bill was always proud of Wendy’s determination and tenacity to get the job done. Whenever Wendy saw there was something that could be made better with a little help, she was quick to jump in and create a solution, whether it was helping a friend in need with a grass roots version of a ‘Go Fund Me’ campaign before such pages were even heard of, creating a company to teach teachers how to teach children math skills or being actively involved in her Church’s Haitian Mission. Bill always said that the value of her Semester at Sea could not be counted in dollars because it taught her compassion for her fellow man.

Bill had a larger than life personality; he had vision, an entrepreneurial soul, and played by his own rules. Bill always knew who he was. He had strength, was compassionate, and lived life to the fullest. Bill was known for his long entertaining stories and jokes which he loved to repeat often. Whenever he had a new joke, he would tell it to everyone he knew and if the opportunity presented itself, to those he did not know.

Even when he received his end-stage diagnosis, after the initial gut punch reaction and quite a few tears, Bill treated it as a gift. He knew his remaining time on earth was short, yet he was thankful he was given the gift of time to contemplate his life story and say his goodbyes to family, friends and places he enjoyed. In his final days Bill took comfort in that he knew where he was going. At the very end, Bill even knew how he was going to get there with the guidance of his great friend from high school, Jack Dawson, who died too young in Vietnam yet forever held a special place in Bill’s heart. While it was incredibility tough to watch Bill’s last three days, it was a blessing to see how Bill reached for the guiding angel that led him home.

Bill always supported his wife Carolyn in her various endeavors whether it was running the law firm together, long-distance cycling, or just making sure that she was going to be okay after his death. With the gift of time, Bill and Carolyn were able to have numerous conversations over many topics including what his hopes and dreams were for her future and well-being. In his final days he was not concerned for himself because he had a strong conviction and faith as to where he was going. Rather, his concern was for Carolyn. During his goodbyes, Bill would say to friends to “take care of Carolyn when I am gone”. Through the love and support that Carolyn is receiving through this difficult time, Bill chose wisely of those to whom he made this request.

Bill was a strong, proud, good man who touched the lives of many people in positive ways. Bill lived a life worth celebrating, he will be missed and forever in our hearts.

At a later date to be announced, a service will be held at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.