Gwen Viann Owens Duncan was born November 10, 1955, in Houston, Texas. She grew up on a small farm near Tomball, Texas, and rode the same school bus to Tomball schools for thirteen years. She graduated from Baylor University School of Nursing in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and shortly thereafter passed Texas Board of Nursing licensing examinations to become a Registered Nurse. In 1989 she completed a Master of Science in Nursing from Texas Woman’s University.
On September 2, 1978, Viann and Courtney B. Duncan were married in Dallas, Texas, where they lived briefly. Following her mother’s death in 1980, the couple relocated to her childhood home outside of Tomball to care for her father and, later, his estate. In 1987 they moved from the Houston area to La Cañada, California, for Courtney’s work.
Viann grew up in the First Baptist Church of Tomball, and on returning to the area, the couple attended Rose Hill Methodist Church and later Champions Covenant Church, a church plant in northwest Harris County. Since moving to California, they have been members of Pasadena Covenant Church in Pasadena.
Viann was loved and respected by everyone who knew her. She was a good listener and advocate and was fiercely loyal to her family and friends, which included essentially anyone with whom she had contact. Her care, empathy, and advice were treasured by all who experienced it. After working in hospital nursing and later psychiatric nursing, she joined Azusa Pacific University School of Nursing, where she was a psychiatric nursing professor and clinical instructor for the last twenty years of her career. There, she was also active in the Iota Sigma chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Her students, colleagues, friends, and family all experienced and were made better people by the amazing love and devotion she exhibited for other human beings.
Following a three-year struggle with metastatic breast cancer, Viann passed from this life peacefully on August 7, 2023, around sunset, at home, surrounded by family and friends. She loved life, wanting to be there always to help loved ones, meaning everyone. She loved life even as it became very difficult—consistently trying to climb back to health, not relaxing, to the very end. This was not surprising to us, in retrospect. Her heart was always right with God from her conversion as a youth. As in all of her relationships, once committed, she never wavered.
Viann is survived by her husband Courtney; daughter Viannah Duncan of Rockville, Maryland; daughter Katherine Wallin, son-in-law Andrew Wallin, and grandson Edward Wallin of Fontana, California; son John Duncan of La Cañada; sister and brother-in-law Elizabeth and Doug Skemp of Dallas, Texas; brother and sister-in-law Michael Owens and Mary Korman of Austin, Texas; nieces Jennifer Skemp and Liana Owens-Korman and nephew Andrew John Skemp; and sister-in-law and wife Wilda Duncan and Elizabeth Brave of San Diego.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Viann's memory may be made to the Pasadena Covenant Church Capital Campaign Sanctuary Building Fund. Please write "In memory of Viann O. Duncan" in the Notes section before donating.
Donations may also be made to The APU Student Scholarship established in Viann's name. Please click on the box that says, "Make this donation in someone's honor or memory" and type in "In memory of Viann Duncan" when donating.
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About |
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| Name | Gwen Viann Owens Duncan |
| Date of Birth | November 10th, 1955 |
| Date of Death | August 7th, 2023 |
| Home Town | Tomball, TX, US |
| Other City | La Cañada Flintridge, CA, US |
| In Memoriam Donation | Pasadena Covenant Church Capital Campaign Sanctuary Building Fund |
| In Memoriam Donation | APU Student Scholarship in Viann's Name |
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Memorial |
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| Funeral Home | Mountain View Mortuary & Cemetery | |
| Cemetery | Mountain View Mortuary & Cemetery | |
| Address |
2400 North Fair Oaks Avenue Altadena CA 91001 United States |
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| Location | Memory Circle | |
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Family |
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| Significant Other | Courtney Duncan |
| Children | John Courtney Duncan, Katherine Louellyn Wallin, Viannah Duncan |
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Milestones |
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| 1974 - 1979 | Baylor University, Bachelor of Science in Nursing | ||
| 1987 - 1989 | Texas Woman's University, Master of Science in Nursing | ||
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published a tribute .
Viann was a friend and role model. She taught me so much about fighting for justice and serving others. I will miss her greatly. Here we are at a Lights for Liberty protest at the Adelanto ICE facility in July 2019.
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published a comment .
I was part of this protest too and want to add my appreciation for the way Viann put into practice Matthew 25:40, serving Jesus through "the least of these my brothers and sisters," with joy.
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published a tribute .
Viann was the soul of kindness, wisdom, encouragement, and love. So many times, I turned to her for wise counsel and prayer. She came with me to medical appointments and visited my Dad when he was in the hospital.
I enjoyed meals and other social events with Viann and the Duncan family.
We had so much fun creating our famous church skits together!
Viann always had a cheerful, positive, loving countenance.
She showed us Jesus.
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published a tribute .
The Duncans were good friends of my wife Ellen and myself. Viann became very important and helpful to Ellen during her time with colorectal cancer. After Ellen died, Viann started visiting me once a week on my porch, giving me a chance to remember Ellen and to talk about important topics, up until she could no longer come to my porch. Thank you Viann. You were a good listener.
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published a tribute .
I was honored to know Courtney and Viann since our days together at Baylor. Courtney was my roommate for three years and my dear friend since our freshman year. I knew Viann for just about as long. My memories of Baylor are filled with the times we spent together. I have never known someone as caring and loving as her. My heartfelt love to Courtney and his children as they face the loss of her light.
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published a tribute .
Courtney, I have just received your email and learned of Viann's passing. Thank you for sending me a message and sharing the link to her obituary. As was written, I am another person who has been touched by Viann (and you). Even though we only saw one another once a month, those 90 minutes together every month were poignant. Viann shared her wisdom, strength, courage, faith, vivaciousness, and love with us all. May we all know we've been blessed by Viann's life and love.
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published a tribute .
Viann was a dear friend and mentor and I have been honored to get to know all the Duncans these past weeks. Viann is the person who taught me how to work with students and her deep care and compassion for each person was evident in her interactions. I am so grateful to have known and been known by her.
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published a tribute .
Courtney & Viana have been such a blessing in my life & a spiritual
Assist in our life as pastors. Plus great friends. Precious memories
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published a tribute .
Viann was a beautiful human who blessed so many with her love, her pure heart, and her listening. I was blessed to have her as a friend and colleague at APU. You are all being held in love and prayer.
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published a tribute .
I was so fortunate to know Viann and Courtney at Baylor and was able to room with Viann for two years. Here is a picture of Viann, Ellie Smith, and I in our dorm room. Viann is such a special person and I miss her so much. Love and prayers to her family at this time of great loss.
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published a tribute .
The picture of my friend Viann holding a garden-fresh tomato from a few weeks ago evoked a distinct childhood memory of the two of us heading out to her Daddy’s garden, armed with mini picnic salt shakers. As we picked each red cherry tomato, we sprinkled it with salt and popped it into our mouths, relishing the juicy summer warmth before choosing another.
The simplicity of this pleasure was indicative of all my experiences at the Owens’ house, from the time we were kindergartners to beyond our senior year:
…earning a nickel from her mom for every hundred swatted flies at the back steps on a hot summer day.
…being greeted by her pet turkey when we gathered eggs, and coveting those tiny Guinea hen ones that were in such demand at our class Easter egg hunts at Brown Park.
…rolling each other’s hair onto pink sponge curlers out on her front screened-in porch, and then spraying on a puff of her sister’s perfume as we combed out our curls.
…singing silly substitute lyrics to popular songs with junior high friends in front of her mom’s black, upright piano.
Viann, all her life, was a person of utmost honesty and integrity, and fortified by her perceptions of right and wrong, she was the only one of us to challenge our 7th grade English teacher with an injustice. After a year of continuous fun and creative drama and music “festivals,” our teacher sternly warned us that our final exam would cover countless unread pink grammar pages at the back of our textbook. Viann, alone, respectfully stood up to her, saying, “We didn’t cover this. You can’t expect us to know this stuff!” Although our teacher’s initial response was, “My stars and garters, child, what do you think we’ve been doing all year?,” to my indignation, she later recognized her courage, and presented Viann (the math genius/atrocious speller) with the 7th grade English award.
Viann will missed by so many. She was so very proud of her family she and Courtney created and nurtured. A few weeks ago, I watched her close her eyes, soaking up Courtney’s impromptu concert, which included a special piece that she loved, and demurely listening to his story of her devoted support when he’d practiced for his final university performance. Viannah’s writing and literary skills were also a source of her pride, as were Katie’s artistic and mothering skills. She was thrilled when John, her father’s namesake, went to work at her beloved university. And of course, sweet little Edward stole her heart. It was so fun to see her with him in July at the dinner table, eliciting unconditional trust with her grandmommy demeanor, convincing him to try Pad Thai bean sprouts.
Our little group of now far-flung classmates, whom Viann dubbed back in 2015 the “Ladies of Tomball,” will miss her profoundly. Even without her Zoom organization and expertise, Louanne, Dellann and I vow to continue to meet and reminisce, especially about our mutual love and admiration for our dear friend, Gwen Viann Owens Duncan.
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published a comment .
I will forever have her in my heart.
Viann was such a dear friend/mentor and confidant to me over the many years at APU SON as faculty, a steadfast fixture on our Iota Sigma board, and beyond with her heart of gold for all. She helped me with some struggles as she helped anyone who needed her love and wisdom. Viann had a generous heart and ear for listening. A true good and faithful one called home. She loved my blackberry jam! Rest in peace, dear one, your earthly service is done. Prayers and comfort, along with peace to Courtney and Viann's loving family. The photo was taken at her and Courtney's joint retirement party last year.
published a comment .
I’m honored to look back over a long and cherished friendship with Viann. We were nurse colleagues at Methodist Hospital in the 1990s and later at Azusa Pacific University School of Nursing where our friendship grew and continued for 25 years, and into our retirement. First I want to give a tribute to her substantial career in nursing. She contributed much to the practice of psychiatric nursing by developing expertise that benefitted her patients and students alike. As a nurse educator, she was a gentle and patient guide who introduced students to nursing care in the psychiatric setting, something for which her students held her in high esteem. Over the years she provided leadership to the Iota Sigma Chapter of Sigma Nurses Honor Society. While her professional accomplishments are noteworthy, I will remember her best as my close friend. Viann always made time for me and other friends, too. Whether it be to offer a listening ear, words of encouragement, or a prayer, she was ready to share the love of Jesus with us all. I will be forever grateful for her beautiful spirit and the precious times spent together. May God draw her close and may she find rest in His peace.
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published a tribute .
I wish I had a better photo. In this picture, you can see Viann joining a group of mourners, walking in remembrance of lost ones for Day Laborer's Memorial Day (April 28th, 2023). Viann did the 1.5 mile walk from Jackie Robinson Park to Ville Par with what must have been considerable pain. Yet, no suprise to any of you, she did so with her characteristic joy, smile, and almost rebellious humor. She did so because walking with, mourning with, just being with, people broken and wounded by injustice was a profound part of her and her understanding of Jesus.
I'm sadened that I barely got to know Viann, yet so profoundly grateful for the short time I had to learn from her.
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published a tribute .
Viann was my very dear and faithful friend of 62+ years, which seems to be a statement to little to express all she has been to me—like a sister, a confidante, and a support through difficult times, always full of love, humor, and good sense.
Though we went our separate ways after high school, we always remained in touch. No matter how long we went between calls, letters, or visits, it always felt as if we’d just spoken the day before. Knowing her has enriched my life and been one of my greatest treasures.
Thanks to an idea from Mary Cowan Piehl, and fortunately for me, four of us Ladies of Tomball—Viann, Mary, Dellann, and I, have been getting together about once every couple of years. And more recently, we have been meeting regularly by zoom. I am so glad to have had these opportunities to connect more deeply and regularly with Viann, Mary, and Dellann over the last 10 years. We’ve shared so much laughter, love, memories, dreams, and sorrows. And nobody I’ve ever known is as good, compassionate, and loving a listener as Viann.
I miss her very deeply and probably always will. As a few people from our school years in Tomball have said, she is the best of us.
I don’t like at all that she has passed from us, but if anyone goes to heaven, Viann is certainly there. Where she is no longer in pain and is with the God for whom she gave wholehearted love and service all her life.
Courtney, Michael, Liz, Viannah, Katy, John, and others of Viann’s immediate family, all my love is with you and all my support is yours for the asking.
You are so fortunate to have been Viann’s family! I hope your memories and your faith are helping sustain you and each other as you go your journey of grief.
I am so incredibly grateful to have been a friend of the exceptional Gwen Viann Owens.
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published a tribute .
Our Pasadena Covenant Women's Book Club will so miss Viann: her cheerful humor and caring presence.
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published a tribute .
It was a privilege and honor to work with Viann, teaching Mental Health Nursing. She mentored and taught me many things. But I will most remember her for being fully present with me, with nursing students, patients and those around her. She always took the time to listen with her heart. This was a picture of us going on a hike with nursing students. She is highly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with her family whom she adored and spoke highly of each time we got together. May the love Jesus restore your hearts and bring you comfort during this time.
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published a tribute .
Sending love and prayers to the entire Duncan family. I’m so sorry for your loss. She loved all of you so very deeply.
Viann was very special to me, and I will miss her dearly. Rest in paradise, sweet Viann.
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published a comment .
I will forever remember Viann’s love for our Lord, her grace and compassion for her students and how proud and blessed she was to be a wife, mom and grandma , she loved you all so much!
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