Obituary: Robert Joseph Duncan
Robert Joseph Duncan, known to all as Bob, passed away peacefully at home on March 9, at the age of 90.
Duncan was born in Brooklyn and was the youngest of four siblings. During his high school years, his family moved to Port Jefferson, where he graduated before attending Paul Reed Smith College in Upstate New York through their ROTC program. After college, he served in the U.S. Army for two years at Fort Riley, Kansas, where he worked as a driving instructor.
Duncan’s eagerness for business started from a young age. At just 10 years old, he had a paper route along the Brooklyn Navy Yard—unknowingly beginning a lifelong journey of hard work and entrepreneurship. After his time in the Army, he set his sights on the auto industry and worked his way up to purchasing a Shell gas station in town, a milestone that would change his life in more ways than one.
One day, a young woman named Shirley pulled into his station for gas, and Bob was her attendant. In a moment that would go down in family history, he forgot to return her gas cap—a small mistake that led to a lifetime of love. That fateful encounter sparked a beautiful relationship, and on May 22, 1960, they were married at Infant Jesus Church in Port Jefferson. Duncan and Shirley spent 64 wonderful years together, building a life filled with love, laughter, and family.
Together, they built a thriving business, running an auto parts company for 40 years. At its peak, they owned six stores with over 50 employees across Long Island. Their most popular location was the NAPA Auto Parts store at 1515 Main Street in Port Jefferson—a cornerstone of the community. In the business world, Duncan was known as “The Great One”, a testament to his leadership, work ethic and ability to make everyone feel like family.
Duncan was also deeply involved in his community. He was an active church member, president of the Lions Club and a committed fundraiser for his parish, most notably raffling off a brand-new Ford LTC to support the church.
At the age of 65, he and Shirley Duncan retired from the auto parts business and stepped into what became their greatest joy—being grandparents. In 2017, they moved from their beloved hometown of Port Jefferson, NY, to San Diego to be closer to family.
In the later years of his life, Duncan became known by many as “Angel”. Whether at his assisted living facility or during trips to the VA Medical Center, he often joked that he was the easiest to care for—never complaining and always making people laugh. His quick wit, charm and warmth brought smiles to not just his family but also to fellow residents, staff and visitorsalike.
Duncan is survived by his devoted wife of 64 years, Shirley Duncan; his son David and daughter-in-law Sandra; and his cherished grandchildren, Robert, Christopher, William, and Nicole. He was preceded in death by his beloved son, Tom, who remains forever in the hearts of his family.
Duncan was a force of nature—charismatic without trying, kind, hardworking and always quick with a joke. He was loved by many and left a lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. More than anything, he loved spending time with his family and grandchildren, who were the light of his life.
A Celebration of Life will be held on March 26 in San Diego, California, with family and friends gathering to honor Bob’s memory. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Child Neurology Foundation in Duncan’s honor.
