Nora Kathleen Duncan
August 18th, 1949 - April 21, 2022
Nora Kathleen "Kathy" Duncan was born in Richmond, California on August 18th, 1949 to Wynema and Woodrow Duncan. She was the fourth of eight children. Kathy graduated from De Anza High School in Richmond in 1967. Her first job was working in the personnel department for a local VA hospital where she would meet one of the most influential women in her life, Lillian Atkission ("Grandma Bunny Bunny" as Kathy's kids would come to know her). With Lillian's encouragement, Kathy attended Contra Costa Community College and earned a Registered Nursing degree. She worked at Stanford Hospital and had adventures across Northern California with her sister and best friend, Alice, for several years. Kathy loved hiking and moved in 1979 with her beloved sheepdog, Sadie, to western Colorado where she could explore the San Juan Mountain Range of the Rocky Mountains. She was especially proud of hiking Mt. Sneffels, a fourteener near Ouray, Colorado.
She met the father of her children, James Hong, in Montrose in 1982. They were married less than a year after they met and welcomed their first child, Amanda in 1985. They moved to Iowa shortly after Amanda was born and had their second child, Matthew, in 1987. They settled in Alamosa, Colorado a few years later. Kathy worked as an allergy nurse and eventually earned her Bachelor’s of Nursing from the University of New Mexico. She then worked as a research nurse for the University of Colorado Hospital in the Alamosa clinic. That job led to a move to the Denver area in 2006 to serve as a kidney transplant research nurse at the Anschutz Medical Campus. She retired in 2009 to move back to her birth state and care for Lillian in Ukiah, California.
Some of Kathy’s favorite memories included traveling with her family. She loved going to Walt Disney World as often as possible. She also enjoyed a trip to Ireland with her daughter and a cruise along the Mediterranean from Spain to Italy with both of her beloved children. Kathy loved being a mother and was happy to see her son marry the love of his life, Lara, in Winter Park in 2016. She was also very excited to welcome her grandchildren to the world - Hannah in February 2016, Jack in December 2016, and Lily in May 2018.
Kathy passed peacefully and without pain on Thursday, April 21st, 2022, with her children at her side.
Donations
In lieu of flowers, her children invite those that would like to support the family by making donations to the charity organization, “To Write Love On Her Arms,” in Kathy’s name. Learn about their mission to present hope and find help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide, and make a contribution here:
Memorial Service
Sunday, May 1, 2022
3:30 PM
Willow Ridge Manor
4903 Willow Springs Rd, Morrison, CO 80465
The service will start at approximately 3:30, with guests encouraged to arrive as early as 3:00pm. Please feel free to bring with you a memory or two to share. There will be an open mic following the service for those who wish to share a story or thought about Kathy, followed by a reception. We invite attendees to wear vibrant colors in celebration of Kathy’s colorful life.
Photo Gallery
