Elizabeth Brown Duncan

Elizabeth Brown Duncan passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 in Fredericksburg, VA. Beth is fondly remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend, and an accomplished pianist. She was born on March 28, 1944 at Edgewood Arsenal, where her father was stationed as a Captain in the U.S. Army. She and her four siblings were raised in Rochester, NY by her father, Winton Brown, and mother, Eliza Crannell Brown. Beth graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Wisconsin (Madison) and moved to Washington, DC where she worked for the National Security Agency. Soon after moving to DC, she began attending Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church (CCPC), where she would devote much of her life. At a group for young adults at the church, Beth met and fell in love with Wallace “Tom” Duncan. They married in 1968 and had four children within three years, including identical twin boys who set the hospital’s record at the time for largest combined birth weight (17 pounds!). Beth’s lifelong passion was music, in particular the piano. She assisted with all of the church bell choirs and conducted some for many years. Beth wrote her own curriculum for music appreciation, which she used in several senior centers. She also studied piano at the Levine School of Music and taught piano to children and adults at her home and at schools. Beth was a devoted fan of musical events in Washington, DC and delighted in taking her daughter, and later her many grandchildren, to performances at the Kennedy Center. One of her favorite Christmas activities was the annual Messiah sing-along. Her well-worn hymnal for the event is a treasured possession.

She will be dearly missed by her four children: Jennifer Nelson (Jeff), David (Teresa), James, and William as well as her seven grandchildren: Eliza, James, Kate, Caroline, Megan, Trevor, and Griffin. Beth is survived by her brothers William (Sarah) and Robert Brown, sister Barbara Evans (Charles), and ten nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her husband Tom, her brother Winton Brown, her parents, and daughter-in-law Julie McCutcheon Duncan.

A memorial service followed by a reception will be held on Sunday, January 28, 2024 at 2 p.m. at Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church (1 Chevy Chase Circle, Washington, DC). In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please make donations to Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church in her honor. 

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/fredericksburg-va/elizabeth-duncan-11618874