Sturbridge: Robert A. Duncan, 77, passed away peacefully on February 26th, in Rose Monohan Hospice House after an illness.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 53 years, Karoline (Galecki) Duncan of Sturbridge; his son, Erik M. Duncan of Las Vegas, NV; his daughter, Karlyn D. Haas of Traverse City, MI; brothers, Roy L. Duncan III of Bloomfield, CT and Roger H. Duncan of Venice, FL; grandchildren, Emily Haas and Ruby Haas.

Robert was born in Willmington, DE, the son of Roy L. II and Ruth E. (Ettinger) Duncan.

"Bob", as most people knew him, was a big personality, buzzing with energy, never content to sit still for long. He had an undeniable love for his family, often telling anyone who would listen how fortunate he was to have spent his life with Karoline, "his sun, moon, and stars."

Bob earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a Master of Education in Guidance and Psychological Services from Springfield College. He served as a school psychologist at Tantasqua Regional Junior High School for 35 years, where he also coached both Junior Varsity and Varsity Girls' Soccer. In addition, he co-founded Tantasqua Regional Youth (TRY) Soccer in Sturbridge and was a FIFA-certified referee. Bob also dedicated 20 years of service as an on-call firefighter and EMT for the town of Sturbridge.

The outdoors, especially his yard, was Bob's sacred space. A gardener-extraordinaire, he took great pride in cultivating an abundance of vegetables and flowers and sharing the bounty with friends and neighbors. Watching the birds from his sunroom, and reporting his wildlife sightings, was one of his favorite pastimes.

Together, Bob and Karoline explored 24 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Israel, Russia, and much of the United States. Karlyn and Erik fondly remember their 7-week trip in 1988, when the family journeyed across the country in a pop-up camper, visiting national parks along the way.

Bob was a devoted 'Grampy' to his granddaughters, making frequent trips with Karoline to see them throughout the year. He especially enjoyed watching them swim in the backyard pool or cuddling up to bond over their favorite TV shows.

Bob will be remembered for his big heart, his empathy, and his generosity, as well as the spark in his eye when telling stories — especially those about the mischief he and his brothers got into as kids.

Services for Robert will be private. There are no calling hours.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Bob's honor to the Sturbridge Firefighters Association, 346 Main St., Sturbridge, MA 01566 or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, P.O. Box 22324, New York, NY 10087 or at https://givenow.lls.org.

The Daniel T. Morrill Funeral Home, 130 Hamilton St., Southbridge, is assisting the family with arrangements.