Evangelist Elsada Miriam Duncan (Granny or Mother Duncan to all who knew her), age 111, went home to be with the Lord on March 16, 2019, with her family by her side in Milton, GA.
Granny was born on January 15, 1908 in Brainerd, St. Mary, Jamaica. She was the seventh of thirteen children to Charles Duncan and Grace Ann Pinnock-Duncan. Her parents were local farmers in their community who instilled in her a life of faith, strength and determination that inspired her to move to Kingston, Jamaica as a young woman, and become an entrepreneur operating a successful merchandising and dressmaking business.
Mother Duncan was an active member of her local church, Rehoboth Apostolic Church of God in Christ located in Kingston. In 1965, Granny was appointed as an Evangelist by her church and she travelled internationally for many years teaching about her faith. Oftentimes, she was found ministering on the streets with Bible in hand and a repertoire of spiritual hymns on her lips to uplift the downtrodden with messages of hope. Crowds would gather around her to hear her words of encouragement and comfort as she told everyone about the love of Jesus Christ. She offered words of prayer to everyone she met, sometimes telling them “silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I gladly give to you”.
Evangelist Elsada Miriam Duncan and Charles McLaughlin were blessed with one daughter on June 19, 1940; and later with six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.
She migrated to the United States with her family in 1993 at age 85 and lived in Stamford, Connecticut before moving to Alpharetta, Georgia in 1995 at age 87. At an advanced age, Mother Duncan defied the odds and although diagnosed with breast cancer at age 104, she did not succumb to that disease in her passing. She was sharp-minded and sharp-tongued till the very end when she was called home. At her passing, Granny was notably the oldest Jamaican in the United States.
She was preceded in death by her parents, eleven of her siblings and her two eldest grandchildren, Evelyn Grace and Janet Rose.
Granny is survived by one sister: Lisetta Duncan-Hyde (age 101); her daughter: Norma Denton (nee McLaughlin); her four grandchildren, Maxine Denton-Grant, Christine Denton-Thompson, CarolAnn Denton-Fitzpatrick, and Donna Denton-Hall; her eight great-grandchildren: Adrian Grant, Christina Thompson-Dan, Nicholas Grant, Ariana Grant, Marissa Grant, Joshua Hall, Abigail Hall, and Luke S. Duncan Hall.
Farewell Celebration Arrangements for Evangelist Elsada Miriam Duncan are as follows:
Thursday, March 28 – Viewing 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Byars Funeral Home
155 Professional Park Drive, Cumming, GA 30040
Friday, March 29 – Viewing 9:30 a.m.
Homegoing Service 10:00 a.m.
Birmingham United Methodist Church
15770 Birmingham Hwy, Milton, GA 30004
Interment
Green Lawn Cemetery
950 Mansell Road, Roswell, GA 30076
Repast (Immediately following Interment):
At Family Home in Milton, GA
Thank you to Mayor Lockwood and the City of Milton for your warm embrace of Granny over the years.
SHE IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD
IN HEAVEN WHERE THE STREETS ARE PURE GOLD
OUR GRANNY IS NOW RESTING IN THAT LAND
WHERE SHE WILL NEVER, EVER GROW OLD!
“With long life I will satisfy her And Show her My salvation.” Ps 91:16
