In Memoriam: William Scott Duncan

Article by UDaily staff January 09, 2020

UD community remembers campus painter

William Scott Duncan, who worked as a painter in the Maintenance and Operations housing department at the University of Delaware, passed away on Jan. 4, 2020, with his family by his sides, after a courageous battle with a rare form of cancer. He was 53.

William Scott Duncan

Mr. Duncan, who went by Scott, most recently worked maintaining campus residence halls, conference spaces and campus sororities.

Speaking on behalf of his campus colleagues, Wayne Dorrell, manager in Residence Hall Maintenance and Operations, said, “Scott enjoyed working at the University, and he played a major part in the housing maintenance team. He was conscientious, dedicated and extremely safety conscious. His work spoke for itself: You would never know an area was patched after he put his 30-plus years as a painter to work. There was no job too tough for Scott to tackle: He volunteered for the extra high work and was comfortable working out of boom lifts and high-reach lifts.”

Mr. Duncan’s two sons attended the University: Lucatamo is a 2019 graduate, and Jacob is currently a sophomore in University studies in the Associate in Arts Program in Dover.

“Scott worshipped his boys, and he was so proud that they were going to school at UD,” Dorrell said. “Whenever he was driving around campus, he was always on the lookout, and if he happened to see his son walking to class, we would call out, wave and make a big fuss.”

A UD employee since 2013, Mr. Duncan had worked as a painter for the past four and a half years. “He was well liked and will be greatly missed by his University family,” Dorrell said.

His playful spirit is captured in this photo taken when a colleague asked for documentation of damage to a wall. Mr. Duncan thought it a good opportunity to add his smile to the picture.

Born on June 4, 1966, in Wilmington, Delaware, he was a 1984 graduate of Salesianum School. A painter and paperhanger by trade, he worked for many years for his father. After starting a family of his own, he joined the Painters Local #100 (IUPAT) and then came to UD.

According to his family, Mr. Duncan enjoyed fishing, going to concerts and sporting events with his sons, doing things with his father-in-law, coaching Little League and napping. Day trips to the beach with his family also brought him great happiness. One of the greatest joys in his life was being one of Santa's helpers during the holiday season and bringing smiles to so many children.

He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Christina Marie Lucatamo Duncan; his sons Lucatamo Scott Duncan and Jacob Alfonso Duncan, both of Middletown, Delaware; his parents, John and Filomena Duncan of Wilmington, Delaware; sister Jenifer Duncan of Lewes, Delaware; parent-in-law Martin and Connie Lucatamo of Middletown; brothers-in-law Martin Lucatamo of Dover, Delaware, and Michael Lucatamo and his wife, Jami, of Chesapeake City, Maryland; sister-in-law Dena Duncan of Middletown; nephew Michael Lucatamo of Chesapeake City; nieces Cecelia and Jenna Lucatamo of Chesapeake City and Rile and Mackenzie Duncan of Middletown and many aunts and cousins. He was preceded in death by his brother, John R. Duncan Jr., and brother-in-law Harry Gravell Jr.

Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 9, at Hicks Home for Funerals, 103 West Stockton St., Elkton, Maryland. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at noon, Friday, Jan. 10, at St. Joseph Church, 319 Main St., Middletown. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or to a favorite charity.

Condolences may be left online.