Nell “Petie” Oliphant Duncan passed away peacefully at home on May 2nd. Born in February of 1933 in Trenton, NJ, she graduated in 1951 from Miss Fine’s School (now a part of Princeton Day School) where she was a strong student, Class President and Head of the Student Council.
Her marriage in June of 1951 to Stuart Duncan lasted 65 years to the time of her passing and was blessed by four children – Stuart III, John Coulter, Jane Creigh and Carol Allison.
She had a life-long love of the theater, taking leading roles first in school plays and later sharing the stage with Peter Falk, Suzanne Pleshette and Dustin Hoffman in productions at Theater Intime, the University Players, Off-Broadstreet and McCarterTheater. She was President of the McCarter Associate Board from 1976-1984 and was an Honorary Trustee of the theater from 1995 to the present.
In the late ‘80s, she worked for Collins Development Corporation planning and implementing the modernization of Palmer Square in Princeton which then led to a long association with N.T. Callaway Real Estate preparing the company’s written advertising material.
Petie will be lovingly remembered at a Memorial Service at Trinity Church, Princeton, NJ onThursday, May 12th at 11:00 am with a reception to follow in Trinity’s Pierce Hall. Burial at All Saint’s Church in Princeton will be private.
Arrangements are under the direction of The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.
