“The Site” personally knew Mrs. Duncan as it spent many hours in her home learning about the history of the Sister Cities relationship between Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Kameoka, Japan.

She provided a wealth of not only knowledge, as did her colleagues Larry & Kayo Jones and Cindy Petree,

but also provided a significant portion of the loaned items for the Fall 2015 exhibition celebrating the 30-year relationship, held at the Sheerar Museum of Stillwater History.

Sylvia gave an extensive oral history interview in 2015 detailing the origins and evolution of the Stillwater–Kameoka Sister Cities relationship. The Site filmed, transcribed, and archived this interview — independent of any institution — as part of the exhibition at the Sheerar Museum.

You can watch the full video and read the transcript here.

Sylvia Duncan, 94, died March 19, 2024. Funeral services will begin 2:00 p.m. Monday, March 25, 2024 at the Church of Christ in Stillwater. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Strode Funeral Home and Cremation is in charge of the arrangements.

Sylvia was born in Chickasha, OK September 11, 1929, the youngest of five siblings, and moved with her family to Stillwater in 1936. She graduated Stillwater High School in 1946, and enrolled in Oklahoma A&M College (now OSU), with plans to major in architecture. After meeting her husband to be, however, she changed her major to accounting. She remained unfazed by the male-dominated field, completing her degree in just three years, newly married, and as a member of the Mortar Board Honor Society, no less. She then took a job with a downtown Stillwater accounting office in 1949 after graduation, and stayed there until 1954. From that point on, she created a home office, earned her CPA license, and created a rather noteworthy career for herself.

Sylvia was the first woman president of the Oklahoma Society of CPAs (OSCPA), and the first woman chair of the State Board of Accountancy. She was the treasurer for the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and became a member of the board of Directors of the American Institute of CPAs. Among her accolades are the Oklahoma Accounting Hall of Fame Award, as well as the Oklahoma Public Service Award. She has served in all Stillwater offices of the North Central Chapter of the OSCPA, and remained active in the Continuing Professional Education coordinator well into her late 80’s.

In 1985 she wrote the bylaws for and helped coordinate Stillwater’s sister-city agreement with Kameoka, Japan, and for over fifty years Sylvia and her husband taught English to OSU’s international students. She was very active in Stillwater Church of Christ teaching bible classes with her husband of 69 years, Aaron Duncan.

https://christianchronicle.org/preparing-soil-planting-seed/

Sylvia was interviewed by an OSU student in 2014, and gave a very detailed history of her Stillwater college experience and historic downtown Stillwater. To read entire interview go to – https://dc.library.okstate.edu › digital › api › collection › ostate › id › 9243 › download.

[Sylvia also provided an amazingly thorough account of her experiences with the Stillwater / Kameoka Sister Cities relationship, which can be found here: Oral History Interview with Sylvia Duncan. You can find both the video interview and the transcript of the oral history project that was completely done by “The Site” in preparation for the Stillwater / Kameoka Sister Cities International exhibition held at the Sheerar Museum for Stillwater History in the Fall of 2015.]

In 2018, Sylvia lost her husband Aaron at the age of 97. Up until then, they were avid OSU and Thunder fans, traveling extensively. Finally, at the age of 88, she retired from her accounting practice.

Her daughter, Andrea Duncan predeceased her in 2021.

She is survived by her son Dan, and his wife Kaye Duncan, of Stillwater. Her grandchildren, Robert and his wife Mica Duncan, of Edmond; and David Duncan of Tulsa. Great grandchildren: Max, Adlee and Ramey Duncan of Edmond.

Those wishing to honor Sylvia’s memory may do so by contributing to the Church of Christ University Center Foundation, 821 N. Duck St. Stillwater, Oklahoma 74075.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sylvia Eugenia Duncan, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

https://memorials.strodefh.com/sylvia-duncan/5398976/index.php#details