March 26, 1922 –

Oct. 10, 2007



Mary L. Duncan, 85, of Live Oak, Florida, passed away, Oct. 10, 2007. She was born in Terra Haute, Indiana on March 22, 1922 and was a long time resident of Live Oak, Florida.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles A. Duncan in 1986.

Mary had documented her family’s ancestry to the family of Abraham Lincoln and was an avid reader and collector of books. She was also an accomplished artist and sculptor and studied both art and sculpture at Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, Florida. Over her lifetime she gained a reputation as a knowledgeable herbalist and healer and her extensive experience as a gardener helped her grow many of the herbs she used and relied on for her youthfulness. Mary’s love of nature and the outdoors, and her dedication to animals, was well known by her many friends. All of the people’s lives she touched throughout Florida will miss this special lady.

Survivors include her son, Lyle J. Petty and her grandson, Zackary L. Petty, both of Old Town, Florida; and her daughter, Amy L. Petty of Jacksonville, Florida.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Nature Conservancy by calling toll-free 800-628-6860 or www.nature.org on the Internet.

A celebration of Mary’s life was held at 4 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 23 at the park behind the Live Oak Woman’s Club, next door to Suwannee County Coliseum, 1302 Eleventh Street, Live Oak.



Please sign the online

guestbook. Go to

www.suwanneedemocrat.com and click on obituaries