Duncan Muir MacQuarrie

Duncan Muir MacQuarrie

 

Duncan Muir MacQuarrie passed away peacefully on October 28, 2025 in Olympia, Washington, at the age of 86.  He was born in Seattle, Washington, on October 25, 1939, the cherished only child of Alexander and Myrtle Owens MacQuarrie. He was a dearly loved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, family member, friend, and colleague.  He was passionate about his chosen profession as an educator and also had wide-ranging interests, including nature, traveling, music, theatre, history, photography, fishing, hiking, birding, running, and sports.  Above all, Duncan loved his family and friends, and we all loved him back.

 

Duncan was a Seattle boy throughout his youth and a Washington man his entire life.  Except for several years at the University of Illinois for graduate school, and when he was on active duty in the U.S. Navy, it was the beautiful Pacific Northwest that captured his heart and always drew him back home.

 

Duncan grew up in the Seattle Madrona neighborhood, where he could see Mount Rainier out his living room window and walk with friends to Lake Washington to swim.  He was a proud graduate of Garfield High School, part of the high school leadership, following in the footsteps of his father, who was in the first graduating Garfield class.  While in high school, Duncan often worked with his father who was a salesman and small business owner, helping him in a number of his ventures.  He loved describing his mother, a registered nurse, as “the neighborhood doctor” because all the parents and kids turned to her for medical advice.

 

Duncan grew up surrounded by an extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins, two of whom he considered his lifelong “brothers.”  As a child, Duncan spent many holidays and vacations with his relatives, including summers on a family farm in rural Washington.  As adults, they would laugh heartily about their escapades while gathering at the annual Owens Cousin Reunions.

 

Duncan received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Central Washington University, relishing those years as a campus leader.  He earned his Doctorate in Educational Research at the University of Illinois, where he immersed himself in his studies and made lifelong friendships.  He returned to Central Washington University as a faculty member, serving several years as the University Faculty Senate president.

 

As a young man, Duncan joined the U.S. Navy, serving two years on active duty as an aviation electrician during the time of the Berlin wall and Cuban missile crises, flying crew on planes scouting along the Pacific Coast.  He served his remaining 18 years of service in the Navy Reserves and looked back fondly on his varied experiences and camaraderie with his mates.

 

At the end of his senior year at Central Washington University, Duncan married his college sweetheart, Rosemary Lemmon, and together they had two bright and adventurous children, Scott Patrick and Kristina Marie.  They lived most of their married life in Ellensburg, where they enjoyed the small community of faculty friendships. The family had many animals, including collies and horses.  Duncan was an animal lover throughout his life and some of his family and friends referred to him as a “dog whisperer.”  He shared his enthusiasm for being out in nature with his family , hiking, cross country skiing, fishing as well as enjoyment of  photography. Although Duncan and Rosemary parted when Scott and Tina were young adults, they maintained their ties of friendship throughout their lifetime, enjoying family events together with their kids and grandkids.

 

Ten years later, Duncan met Diana Kamminga through mutual friends.  These “matchmakers” thought they shared so many interests that, at the least, they would enjoy being friends.  Their matchmaking worked and, a year later, Duncan and Di married in August 1994, settling in Olympia.  By this time in his career, Duncan was working in the assessment department at the Office of the State Department of Public Instruction, helping to launch the state assessment program and serving as Director for several years.  Di was an educator with the Tumwater School District.  Di’s young adult children, Caitlyn Lorena Kamminga and Matthew David Kamminga, became an integral part of Duncan’s family; together Duncan and Di joyfully blended their longtime friendships as well as their families, eventually welcoming 13 beloved grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

 

A gift for Duncan was Di’s large extended family with two of her sisters and families living in Olympia, as well as many other family members on the West Coast and throughout the country.  They enjoyed numerous family gatherings over the years, including one year when they hosted 30 family members for Thanksgiving, ranging in age from one to 90 years, not unusual for this large “clan.”

 

Over the years, Duncan was involved in many professional activities, which included serving on the boards of the Washington Educational Research Association and the National Council of Measurement in Education.  He joined Di’s church and, together in the Olympia community and through church, they became active in a variety of volunteer activities having to do with causes close to their hearts:  education, children, nature, and social justice.

 

Although both were still working at the time of their marriage, they immediately started traveling on their holidays throughout the country and the world, often combining trips with visits to family and friends.  They packed light, pulled suitcases across cobblestone streets, and loved every minute of their travels.  They brought their binoculars and visited places of natural beauty as well as museums and sites of historical significance. Weekends frequently found them hiking or cross-country skiing, biking to the Farmers Market and the Olympia waterfront, or in Seattle enjoying music, theatre and Mariner games.

 

Duncan was proud of his Scottish heritage on his father’s side; his grandfather, born in Glasgow, lived with his family in his later years.  His grandmother was a member of the Muir clan who immigrated to Wyoming, where his grandparents later met and married.  Family lore is that Duncan was related to the great naturalist, John Muir, and his passion for nature and photographs of the Muir family would seem to support that. Certainly, Duncan’s love for nature and for his Scottish roots were passed on to his kids and grandkids.  He also delighted in his maternal Welsh heritage and together Duncan and Di explored the family homestead and surroundings in Bournemouth, Wales, as well as traveling extensively in Scotland.

 

During the last difficult chapter of his life, Duncan bravely battled complications of Lewy Body Dementia.  Throughout, he was always surrounded by the love of his family and friends.  Duncan is survived by his loving wife, Di; his former wife, Rosemary; children Scott (Leah), Tina, Caitlyn (Aidan) and Matt (Suzette); and his cherished grandchildren, Danielle (Marc), Alex, Angus, Adair (Ivana), Devon, Logan, Rachael, Tyler, Ryan, Ariana, Alexis, Arika, and Lila; and his five beautiful great-granddaughters, Rayanne, Piper, Bishop, Ailie and Lakelynn.

 

Those who knew Duncan will remember his beautiful smile, quick wit, his big heart, and his generous spirit.  In his memory, Duncan would love nothing more than his family and friends to take someone to lunch, go on a hike, take in a concert, or enjoy a glass of fine Scotch whiskey with a loved one while laughing and telling stories.

 

Memorial donations may be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association or a charity of your choice. 

 

Celebration of Life will be held on December 20, 2025 at 1:00 pm, The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd 1601 North Street SE, Olympia, WA 98501

 

As long as I live, I’ll hear waterfalls and birds sing…

and get as close to the heart of the world as I can.

The mountains are calling and I must go.

~John Muir

 

 

Please leave condolences or share memories and photos by clicking on the “Leave a Tribute” button above.