Mary Elizebeth Duncan  passed away on October 9, 2023 after a prolonged challenge of Alzheimer's Disease. She was born Mary Elizebeth Michaud, February 23, 1936 in Fresno, CA. Her favorite song was "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Perhaps because it was written in 1936 but she was always curious about how much rainbows weighed. The answer is not much; it is just pretty light. She would always add the followup question: where do you weigh a rainbow? The answer, according to the song, "way up high." Mary was always smiling and she never met an enemy. She grew up in Stockton, CA and liked to share the story of how the four Michaud kids would ride on one bike. She also remembers walking two miles to school. Later, when revisiting Stockton, she realized that it was only two blocks!

In her senior year of high school her family moved to Brentwood, CA where Mary graduated from Liberty Union High School. She then enrolled in San Jose State, graduating in 1958 with a BA in Elementary Education. After graduating, Mary taught for a year and applied for and was awarded a contract with the Anchorage, Alaska, School District. Mary taught different grade levels but she always liked kindergarten best.

Mary met her husband Dave Duncan at Christmas in 1961. They were married on March 21, 1964. On March 27, 1964 at 5:35pm the largest earthquake in North America (9.3) occurred and they may have caused it! The Methodist minister had decided that they shouldn't get married. Mary was too sensitive and Dave was too critical. They got married anyway. They planned to get married on the 27th but changed it to the 21st and forgot  to tell the man upstairs. Maybe God felt the same way as the Methodist minister! That was 59 years ago, and Dave and Mary shared their lives for 61 years.

Together, Mary and Dave had three sons. In 1972, the oldest became a Cub Scout. Mary became Den Leader and Den Leader Coach. In 1980, Mary started a child care business and with her fantastic education skills soon had a house full of eager children and happy parents. She maintained that business until thery moved to Flagstaff in 1988 to be closer to her sister. Flagstaff quickly became home. Upon arrival, Mary immediately submitted her hand decorated sweatshirts, homemade peach jam, and geese door stops to the Coconino County Fair and won several ribbons. She sold her sweatshirts at several local bazaars, then began teaching craft classes for kids aged 3-12 years at the Thorpe Adult Center. Mary was also a very talented seamstress, and knit many beautiful sweaters. She shared these skills with the older kids in her classes.

In 1989, Mary and Dave became docents at the Museum of Northern Arizona, and again Mary's education/teaching skills and talents came into play. Together Mary and Dave led kid programs on dinosaurs, geography, mammals, insects, prehistoric foods, owl pellets, puppet shows, crafts and more. Mary and Dave also hosted Sleepovers With Dinosaurs at the museum, and traveled to Tuba City to teach local 6th graders about dinosaurs at the tracks outside of town. Some of you may remember the following song:

In 1842, these fossils got a name. Who named the dinosaurs we know? Sir Richard

Owen was his name, an English Scientist of great fame. He'll be remembered for

evermore because he named the dinosaurs!

Mary and Dave's last program was in 2014.  Alzheimer's was interfering with teaching. Mary was initially diagnosed in 2011, although signs had been noticed as early as 2005. Mary was admitted to the Peaks Memory Unit on March 1, 2016 - one week after her 80th birthday. And while her time with this disease was incredibly difficult, COVID was especially unkind.

On October 9, Mary's long and very successful life ended. She is survived by her husband Dave, her three sons, David, Fritz and Christopher, eight grandkids, four grandkids-in-law, her younger sister Jeanette Weatherby, five nieces and seven nephews. Mary was preceded in death by her parents William and Mary Michaud, her brothers Bill and Bob, and her sister Patty.

While Mary Duncan has passed on, she would hope to be remembered for the five thousand children she helped in her life! So when you see a rainbow, think of Mary and how she loved their pretty light!