Dorothy Jane Duncan

July 31, 1930 - August 24, 2020

Dorothy Jane Ross Duncan, 90, departed her family and friends on August 24, 2020 at Methodist Manor Retirement Community. A private service is planned for a future date. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. Jane was born on July 31, 1930 in Stronghurst, Illinois to Lyman Wallace and Esther (Curry) Ross. She always had life-long values of love for family, dedication, loyalty, hard work, humility, and above all, selflessness. Upon graduating from Stronghurst High School, Jane attended Stephens College, Columbia, MO where she was a member of the Prince of Wales equestrian club, showing horses throughout her college years. After graduating from Stephens, she continued her education at the University of Illinois where she met and married Charles “Cliff” Duncan on December 1, 1951 and they embarked on their lives of raising and showing horses in Storm Lake, Iowa. She later graduated from Buena Vista University in 1972. Together, Jane and Cliff raised two daughters, Salli and Nancy, as they spent innumerable hours traveling with friends and showing horses. She loved inspiring and assisting children with their horse projects and was attributed with helping to launch an equine 4-H club, BV Hoofbeats, during her time of serving as a 4-H leader. She was inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame in 2009. Upon retirement, Jane and Cliff spent countless hours on horseback, riding with friends, moving cattle, camping with grandchildren or simply taking an afternoon ride through the timbers nearby. Jane and Cliff were aware of the needs of others and as a result, joyfully and generously welcomed family and friends into their home if the need arose. Jane contributed to the community, church, 4-H programs, as well as the countless hours she spent helping her grandchildren. Our mother commented that she felt she never contributed anything significant to this world. Her friends and family will tell you, however, that is far from the truth. Her greatest accomplishment was being the definition of a loving mom and “Grandma Jane” and later, “Gigi” who instilled kindness and hard work to every single family member. We are the people we are today because of the example she shined upon us. She was preceded in death by her husband, Cliff, as well as her four siblings, Catherine Ross Corzatt, Margaret Ross Schar, Mary Ross Seigel, and William Wallace Ross. She is survived by her daughters, Salli (Jim) Nichols of Storm Lake, IA and Nancy (Julian) Nemmers of Longmont, CO. She will be missed by her grandchildren, Jordan (Jeff) Jorgensen of Storm Lake, IA, Tyler (Ashlee) Nichols or Algona, IA, Ryan Nemmers and Justin Nemmers of Colorado and her great grandchildren, Vivian, June, and Rosemary Jorgensen as well as Zackary Nichols. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Virginia Ross of Stronghurst, IL. Jane spent countless hours preparing and assisting children who shared her passion for horses. Please, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Buena Vista County 4-H Equine.