Lenabelle Henrietta (Atkins) Duncan

Lenabelle Henrietta ( Atkins ) Duncan

April 27, 1923 – May 25, 2018

A memorial service to celebrate the life of Lenabelle H. Duncan, 95, of North Bend, will be held on Saturday, June 16th at 2:00 p.m. at the North Bend Chapel, 2014 McPherson Avenue, with pastor Dave Rymer of College Park Community Church presiding. Private cremation rites were held at Ocean View Memory Gardens in Coos Bay.

Lenabelle was born on April 27, 1923 in Vancouver, Washington to Stephen and Blanche Atkins. She passed away peacefully at her home in North Bend, on May 25th, due to complications of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Lenabelle was raised in Salem, Oregon, along with her sister, Emmamay and brother Burt. She graduated from Salem High School, class of 1941, and married her high school sweetheart, Robert Duncan, on May 27, 1942 in Vancouver, Washington. They would share nearly 76 years of marriage.

Lenabelle worked as an usher at the Elsinore Theatre in Salem and taught violin lessons while in high school. She also played piano for her church youth group. Later she taught her children to play piano and violin.

After they were married, Lenabelle and Robert supported the war effort by working for Lockheed in Southern California where Lenabelle was a riveter on the P-38 airplane. They moved back to the northwest where they raised a son and two daughters in Springfield, Oregon and Spokane, Washington, enjoying camping, hiking and boating as a family.

Lenabelle was an accomplished seamstress and quilter, making wedding dresses for family and neighborhood brides, clothing for teachers and the Eugene Rodeo Court wardrobe as well as keeping her growing family well dressed. Along the way, she taught her daughters her love of sewing.

Lenabelle and Robert were active in the school PTA’s and their local grange. They led their neighborhood watch group, spearheading it’s Candy Cane Lane Christmas light decorations for several years in Eugene. They enjoyed square dancing and round dancing with several clubs in the Eugene area. After retirement they moved to North Bend where they danced with the Saints N Aints and Sets in Order clubs. Lenabelle sewed beautiful dance dresses and matching shirts and accessories for her husband. They were beautifully graceful dancers!

Lenabelle and Robert loved to travel. They made several road trips into Alaska and the Northwest Territories of Canada, making lifelong friends along the way. They spent several summers aboard their cabin cruiser, Fantasy, in the San Juan Islands of Washington, where they enjoyed the scenery and history and culture of the Islands.

Lenabelle is survived by her husband, Robert Duncan, of North Bend; daughter, Roberta and her husband Dell of North Bend; son, Charles and his wife Linda of Junction City; daughter Lonna and her husband Jim of Springfield; as well as 9 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and 5 nieces and nephews.

Friends and family are encouraged to sign the online guestbook at www.coosbayareafunerals.com and www.therworldlink.com. Arrangements are under the care of North Bend Chapel, 541-756-0440.

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