Lowell Stanley Duncan, age 82, of Gardendale, TX, passed away on October 19, 2015 in Odessa.
Lowell Stanley Duncan was born in Independence County, Arkansas, on February 18, 1933 to Rushford and Clara (Reaves) Duncan. His early years were spent in Phillips, TX, and Carter, OK. He earned his first fifty cents at the age of five picking cotton in Carter. His friends accused him of still having that same fifty cents because of his frugal Scotch upbringing. By the age of six he had acquired a milk cow which he milked and delivered milk to customers before school. He with his dad's help built the "finest barn in Phillips" beating out the ends of old oil barrels for siding. Soon he also had a paper route and tilled gardens for neighbors. The family moved to Odessa in 1945 when his father went to work in the oil fields. At 12 Stan went to work at Ector Hardware putting new bicycles together. Later he worked for John Taylor selling and repairing Cushman motorbikes. At the age of 17, as a roughneck, he was ground up in the draw works of a drilling rig near McCamey, which permanently damaged his left arm. He learned to work around it though but fought repeated malignancies that returned during his twenties and early thirties M.D. Anderson saved his arm time and time again. Cobalt treatments stopped the cancer from returning but not the damage as his left forearm was removed in 2013.
Stanley was an Odessa High School graduate 1950 and was in the top ten. He attended Odessa College briefly. He married Doris Brunson on May 21, 1954. They have one daughter, Angela. He was a member of First Methodist Church in Odessa.
Stanley became a master carpenter and worked for local construction companies until the downturn in the 60's. The family moved to El Paso where Stanley worked for Bagwell Construction, completing projects all over New Mexico and West Texas including White Sands, Los Alamos and McDonald Observatory. During this period they made frequent trips to Houston for treatments at M.D. Anderson. They returned to Odessa in 1967 where Stanley built several "spec" houses as well as working for Tadlock Co. and Day Construction among others. He helped build UTPB and was building superintendent for the Ector County Youth Center before moving to Gardendale to raise alfalfa and cattle in 1976.
Stanley is preceded in death by a baby brother, Max, sister, Harlean Sue Putty as well as his parents.
He is survived by his loving wife Doris, daughter, Angela Marie Gaddis and husband Kevin of Cleburne, TX, grandson, Stanley Gene Gaddis and wife Jenny of Frisco, TX, his blue heeler, four legged daughter, "Sadie Poo", brother, Philip Duncan and wife Marianne, El Paso, TX, sister in law, Lucille Bida of Arlington, TX, and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
From Pioneer stock, Stanley was a strong determined man who did not accept the word can't.
Funeral Services will be at 4:00 pm, October 22, 2015, at Sunset Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Terry Tamplen officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens.
Arrangements are under the direction of Sunset Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home. To send family condolences please sign the guest registry at www.sunsetodessa.com.
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