DUNCAN, Pope A(lexander) 1920-2003

OBITUARY NOTICE—

See index for CA sketch: Born September 8, 1920, in Glasgow, KY; died of complications from Parkinson's disease, December 18, 2003, in DeLand, FL. Educator, administrator, and author. Duncan was well known for his leadership as former president of Georgia Southern University and Stetson University. However, he actually began his career as a Baptist minister. He earned his B.S. in 1940 and M.S. in 1941 from the University of Georgia, both in physics, before attending Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received his Th.M. in 1944 and Th.D. in 1947. He also studied at Union Theological Seminary, the University of Zurich, and Oxford University. The first three years of his career were spent as a Kentucky pastor in the mid-1940s. Soon, however, he joined academia as director of religious activities at Mercer University from 1945 to 1946, becoming Roberts Professor of Church History there from 1948 to 1949. Beginning in 1946, Duncan was also a professor of religion at Stetson University. Except for his brief return to Mercer, he remained at Stetson as a teacher until 1953. The next decade was spent at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where Duncan was professor of church history. A one-year stint as dean of Brunswick College in 1964 was followed by his appointment as president of South Georgia College from 1964 to 1968. Duncan then continued his career at Georgia Southern College as vice president from 1968 to 1971 and president from 1971 to 1977. As president of Stetson University from 1977 to 1987, Duncan was most noted for his fund-raising abilities, bringing in some fifty million dollars during one six-year campaign. Duncan remained at Stetson as the university's chancellor from 1987 until 2002, when he retired as chancellor emeritus. He was the author of several books, including Our Baptist Story (1958), The Pilgrimage of Christianity (1965) and his Memoirs (2002).

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Grand Rapids Press (Grand Rapids, MI), December 20, 2003, p. D4.

Houston Chronicle, December 21, 2003, p. 38.

Washington Post, December 22, 2003, p. B4.

ONLINE

Bradenton,http://www.bradenton.com/ (December 19, 2003).

Georgia Southern University,http://news.georgiasouthern.edu/ (January 4, 2004).