To call Charles Duncan’s 55 years of work simply a career does not speak to the insight and humor with which he approached it. For Duncan, the practice of journalism and the education of future journalists was a life’s work—one that included working as a newspaper reporter, an author and columnist, a journalism professor and as dean at Oregon and Colorado.

He worked as a newspaper reporter in Minnesota before taking his first job as a journalism instructor at the University of Nevada in 1940. He went on to teach at four other universities and, in 1950, he began his career at Oregon when he joined the staff as a professor. Duncan became dean of the School of Journalism (1955-1962) and dean of faculties (1965-1971) before retiring in 1979. After retiring, he continued to the university in a variety of roles and contributed columns to the Register-Guard.

He also was the author or editor of three books: An Overland Journey, Bob Frazier of Oregon, and An Orange for Christmas, a compilation of his Register-Guard columns.

Friends and colleagues respected and admired Duncan’s ability to write with grace, style, and a sense of humor. Charles Duncan died in 1997.