Mark Duncan
December 5, 1954 - December 24, 2017
Compassionate, cheerful, and inventive, Mark Duncan drew his last earthly breath on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2017. Despite a twenty-year battle with Multiple Myeloma, Mark lived a fruitful and vigorous life creating new ideas and solving knotty problems.
Born in Santa Monica on December 5, 1954, Mark moved north to San Mateo in 1968 when his father transferred to San Francisco. It was here that his interest in state of the art technology blossomed. While in high school Mark discovered Stanford’s Artificial Intelligent Lab in Palo Alto. Thanks to some patient management, Mark spent countless hours in the evening observing technicians work on their “artificial hand” project.
Mark had numerous interests. He loved out of doors activities kindled by early family camping vacations; Mark’s youth was fulfilled by an active scouting participation highlighted by a hike to the summit of Mt McKinley when he was 14 years old. After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, Mark began his Silicon Valley career working first at Tandem Computers. His work at Tandem eventually led to a number of similar state-of-the art companies until some years later he elected to form his own company as a technical equipment and marketing consultant.
A renaissance man, Mark was a voracious reader of scientific fiction novels. That interest stood him in good stead when he wrote a novel “Bringing up Mike” that takes place in both Tennessee and California. Turns out the central character, then a young boy, builds a computerized alter ego named Mike. It is Mike who comments and coaches the central character as he journeys from youth into a successful adult career in Silicon Valley.
Mark enjoyed all forms of music. He built an extensive library that ran the gamut from opera and musical theatre to jazz and specialty singers. Early on, he and a fellow co-worker discovered their mutual interest in opera. After that the two of them became regular Friday night standing room “standees” at each opera season for the next 17 years.
Mark was a champion for women rights, long before it was popular to do so. His love for photography could have easily morphed into a second career. He came to numerous friends’ events, from weddings and Bar Mitzvahs, to school plays to create pictorial records of the occasion.
Despite regular chemo treatments that taxed his physical energy, he seldom complained. Mark was a regular at the gym intent on maintaining his physical strength. “I feel pretty good” he often replied when asked how he felt.
Mark was a non-judgmental, thoughtful and fun loving friend. He loved to create things and to solve problems. He often did independent research to support his suggested solution. “I think it will work; Give it a try” he might say.
His parents Trudy and Arnold Duncan, his sister Jodie and brother Scott survive Mark. He was very proud of his niece Jessica and nephews Taylor and David. A Celebration of Mark’s life will be held on Sunday, March 11th at Poplar Creek Golf Course, 1700 Coyote Point Drive, San Mateo California from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm. Remembrances may be made to The Multiple Myeloma Foundation, 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk CT 06851.