Robert Laird Duncan ’65

Bob died peacefully Feb. 7, 2009, at home in Westfield, N.J. He had pancreatic cancer that was discovered in May 2007. 

Bob grew up in Westfield and attended Westfield High School before majoring in classics, dining at Cottage Club, and being elected to Phi Beta Kappa at Princeton. He played varsity football and was a member of the track team. After graduation he won a Fulbright to Oxford to read law, then graduated from Harvard Law School before practicing in Manhattan as a partner in the firm of DeForest & Duer. He also served as general counsel for the American Management Association and then as deputy publisher for the Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, a monthly newspaper. 

Bob served as a trustee and president of the Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, N.J., for many years, was a founding member of the American Achilles Foundation, and was secretary of the American Friends of Magdalen College. 

Bob was a devoted Princetonian who attended as many sports, cultural events, and reunions as possible while enjoying his family to the fullest. His kind, cheerful presence will be missed by all who knew him. 

Condolences go to his wife, Linda; children Elizabeth, Margaret, and Laird; and stepdaughters Jacqueline and Jennifer.