Obituary for Hylton Duncan
Hylton Adolphus Duncan lived to the golden age of 83 years old. Born in beautiful Portland, Jamaica, he moved to Kingston for work in 1960. He migrated to the United States in 1972 and resided in Brooklyn, NY where he died after living there for the past 47 years.
He worked as a painter at Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn from 1972-1998. Mr. Duncan had a long bout with dementia. He succumbed to respiratory issues at the Four Seasons Nursing Home on Wednesday, October 30th.
Hylton Adolphus Duncan, one of seven children, was born in the village of Charlestown, in the Parish of Portland, Jamaica on Good Friday, April 10, 1936. He was the son of Una Dean, his beloved mother, and Richard Duncan, his beloved father. Hylton was a hardworking devoted son who was always there to help his father Richard, nicknamed “Dada” who was a popular business owner based in Charlestown and Buff Bay. He was also devoted to his mother Una who was industrious and a large presence in her own right.
He embraced his mixed-race lineage but most importantly never forgot his Maroon heritage which inspired him to learn how to play the bongo. Hylton met the love of his life and his first wife, Pearline Anderson as a teenager in Buff Bay, Portland, Jamaica in 1956 where they fell in love and had their first child Carrol and later Ouida and their youngest child Neil.
He completed the 8th grade at Charlestown Elementary School, but even with middle school education demonstrated knowledge about local and global issues. Hylton was good with his hands based on the skills he gained while working in his father’s Real Estate and property management businesses, and later he worked as a foreman and painter on various construction projects in and around Kingston, Jamaica.
Hylton was a family man who loved his family and never forgot his roots. He made sure to take his children from Kingston home to Charlestown to visit his parents, siblings, uncles, aunties nieces and nephews during the holiday season.
In 1961, like many other Jamaicans looking to support their families financially, he was sent by his employer Anderson Painting & Construction to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to work on the U.S. Naval base as a contract painter for several years. Now fluent in Spanish, Mr. Duncan returned to the same company in Kingston and enjoyed working on other projects until he migrated to the United States (sponsored by his wife Pearline) in 1972.
Anyone who knew Hylton, remembers his avid love for sports, particularly cricket and baseball, which were unmatched by his passion for boxing and WWE wrestling. He had no problem cheering on his choice athletes like Mohamed Ali, Joe Frazier and George Foreman while passionately talking to the television screen and swaying to each left hook, right hook and uppercut as if he were in the ring himself. His energy surrounding boxing was contagious and fun to watch.
Sports was just one of his passions; politics was another. Hylton was an avid reader, who read multiple newspapers and watched TV news and listened to news radio to actively keep up to date with current events.
He is preceded in death by his father Richard Duncan and his mother Una Dean, his beloved sisters Pansy Duncan, Maria Rashford, his brother Vivian Duncan.
Mr. Hylton Adolphus Duncan is survived by his first wife Pearline Anderson of Brooklyn, New York, and his second wife, companion and friend of 40 years, Nettie Taylor-Duncan of Brooklyn, New York.
Children Carrol Althea Laham, Ouida Nadine Duncan, Neil Hylton Duncan, Claudette Chin-Plaschka and Sandra Dee Natalie Wan. Grandchildren: Tanisha Astwood, Anthony Duncan, Timothy Duncan, April Duncan, Gabrielle Laham; Chanel Aisha Duncan, Christina Paige Regan, Kelsey Layne Packwood, Amal Zenab Ahmed, Kymonne Duncan and Kniya Duncan. Great-grandchildren: James Palmer III, Laiona Duncan and Ayana Astwood.
Other surviving relatives and immediate extended family: His sister Norma Duncan and her daughter Joy; sister Cherry Duncan and her children, Karen (Hopie), Barrington, Tyrone (Delroy), Dave (Earl), Hal (Garth) and Debbie and his brother Georgie Duncan. His step children: The Rev. Dr. Donald M. Lutas, Hylton Telfer, George Telfer, Devon A. Telfer, Dahlia Youngblood-Taylor, their children and grandchildren.
May his soul rest in peace.
He worked as a painter at Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn from 1972-1998. Mr. Duncan had a long bout with dementia. He succumbed to respiratory issues at the Four Seasons Nursing Home on Wednesday, October 30th.
Hylton Adolphus Duncan, one of seven children, was born in the village of Charlestown, in the Parish of Portland, Jamaica on Good Friday, April 10, 1936. He was the son of Una Dean, his beloved mother, and Richard Duncan, his beloved father. Hylton was a hardworking devoted son who was always there to help his father Richard, nicknamed “Dada” who was a popular business owner based in Charlestown and Buff Bay. He was also devoted to his mother Una who was industrious and a large presence in her own right.
He embraced his mixed-race lineage but most importantly never forgot his Maroon heritage which inspired him to learn how to play the bongo. Hylton met the love of his life and his first wife, Pearline Anderson as a teenager in Buff Bay, Portland, Jamaica in 1956 where they fell in love and had their first child Carrol and later Ouida and their youngest child Neil.
He completed the 8th grade at Charlestown Elementary School, but even with middle school education demonstrated knowledge about local and global issues. Hylton was good with his hands based on the skills he gained while working in his father’s Real Estate and property management businesses, and later he worked as a foreman and painter on various construction projects in and around Kingston, Jamaica.
Hylton was a family man who loved his family and never forgot his roots. He made sure to take his children from Kingston home to Charlestown to visit his parents, siblings, uncles, aunties nieces and nephews during the holiday season.
In 1961, like many other Jamaicans looking to support their families financially, he was sent by his employer Anderson Painting & Construction to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to work on the U.S. Naval base as a contract painter for several years. Now fluent in Spanish, Mr. Duncan returned to the same company in Kingston and enjoyed working on other projects until he migrated to the United States (sponsored by his wife Pearline) in 1972.
Anyone who knew Hylton, remembers his avid love for sports, particularly cricket and baseball, which were unmatched by his passion for boxing and WWE wrestling. He had no problem cheering on his choice athletes like Mohamed Ali, Joe Frazier and George Foreman while passionately talking to the television screen and swaying to each left hook, right hook and uppercut as if he were in the ring himself. His energy surrounding boxing was contagious and fun to watch.
Sports was just one of his passions; politics was another. Hylton was an avid reader, who read multiple newspapers and watched TV news and listened to news radio to actively keep up to date with current events.
He is preceded in death by his father Richard Duncan and his mother Una Dean, his beloved sisters Pansy Duncan, Maria Rashford, his brother Vivian Duncan.
Mr. Hylton Adolphus Duncan is survived by his first wife Pearline Anderson of Brooklyn, New York, and his second wife, companion and friend of 40 years, Nettie Taylor-Duncan of Brooklyn, New York.
Children Carrol Althea Laham, Ouida Nadine Duncan, Neil Hylton Duncan, Claudette Chin-Plaschka and Sandra Dee Natalie Wan. Grandchildren: Tanisha Astwood, Anthony Duncan, Timothy Duncan, April Duncan, Gabrielle Laham; Chanel Aisha Duncan, Christina Paige Regan, Kelsey Layne Packwood, Amal Zenab Ahmed, Kymonne Duncan and Kniya Duncan. Great-grandchildren: James Palmer III, Laiona Duncan and Ayana Astwood.
Other surviving relatives and immediate extended family: His sister Norma Duncan and her daughter Joy; sister Cherry Duncan and her children, Karen (Hopie), Barrington, Tyrone (Delroy), Dave (Earl), Hal (Garth) and Debbie and his brother Georgie Duncan. His step children: The Rev. Dr. Donald M. Lutas, Hylton Telfer, George Telfer, Devon A. Telfer, Dahlia Youngblood-Taylor, their children and grandchildren.
May his soul rest in peace.