John “Jack” Duncan, age 62 years, of Ocala, FL, died on Friday, June 30, 2017 at Legacy House, Ocala, FL under the caring watch of the nurses and staff of the Hospice of Marion County.

Born in Elizabeth, NJ, November 11, 1954, son of the late Cecil John and Rose M. Mayea Duncan, John had resided in Ocala for the past six months, having lived with his step-daughter, Alisa and her family in Jacksonville, FL for a year prior. He had also formerly lived in Edison, Scotch Plains and Cedar Grove, NJ.

Raised in Elizabeth, Jack was a 1972 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School. He became a Flight Systems Engineer for Honeywell and eventually retired from the company after a long and successful career.

A longtime member of St. Catherine’s Church in Cedar Grove where his family resided for many years, Jack never lost his spiritual faith. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and simply put, loved to help people. He was also an animal lover, and most who knew him would remember his faithful canine companion, Ajax and his feline companion, Mojo.

With the death of his father when he was only five, Jack was raised by a single mother and learned from her strength and community service. Suffering with a cleft palate and hair lip, he was often picked on growing up; instead of letting this knock him down, it made him stronger and more resilient in all aspects of his life.

Voted the “class clown” in High School, if you heard laughter anywhere, at the center of it you would probably find Jack. He was also known for his dance skills and was part of an amateur dance troupe that went around to assisted living facilities to help put smiles on the residents faces. He loved to play drums and music, all types, was a major part of his life.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his step-son, Anthony and a sister-in-law, Elaine Duncan.

Surviving are two brothers and a sister-in-law, Leonard Duncan of Haymarket, VA and James and Bonnie Duncan of Clinton Township, NJ; his step daughter and her husband, Alisa and Lt. Col. Antony Barone Kolenc (USAF, RET.) of Jacksonville, FL; his grandchildren, Beauty Angelica, Mercy Linda, Antony (AJ), Talia and Amina; his great grandchildren, Chloe, Noah, Samwise; several nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends.

A Vigil service officiated by Rev. Antony Arokiadoss, followed by a celebration service of Jack’s life will take place Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. in Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ 08822. This will be preceded by a public gathering of family and friends from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

A memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held in Florida at a later date.

Cremation in Florida was private under the supervision and direction of Wright & Ford.

Please visit Jack’s permanent memorial site at www.wrightfamily.com to send a public or private message of condolence and to share stories and photographs of his life.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 26 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10004 and/or to the United Way of Hunterdon County, 4 Walter Foran Boulevard, Suite 401, Flemington, NJ 08822.