TOPSHAM – Eva Vantieal Mitchell Duncan, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away on July 30, 2026, at the age of 86.

A longtime resident of Topsham, Maine, Eva was born on July 23, 1940, in Philadelphia, Pa., to Namon Mitchell and Eva Burris Mitchell.

Eva graduated from Germantown High School in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1958. Soon afterward, she met the love of her life, Lawrence Duncan, Jr., then a 22-year-old Air Force airman who escorted her to her senior prom. Their chance meeting blossomed into a lifelong love story. They were married in 1959 and shared 62 devoted years of marriage before Lawrence’s passing. Together, they built a family rooted in love, faith, perseverance, and service.

As a proud military spouse, Eva embraced the adventures of military life. Early in their marriage, the family was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, where she and Lawrence spent five memorable years raising their young daughter, Darren. Near the end of their overseas tour, they welcomed their son, Lawrence III, before relocating to Brunswick, where Lawrence served at Brunswick Naval Air Station. Maine became their home for the next 58 years, with Eva living in both Brunswick and Topsham.

Eva dedicated nearly three decades to federal civil service. She worked in data processing as an analyst and operator supporting important government programs and later served as an executive assistant with the Supervisor of Shipbuilding at Bath Iron Works, contributing to the construction of warships for the United States Navy. She approached every role with professionalism, intelligence, and unwavering dedication.

While Eva’s career was meaningful, her greatest calling was her family. She was a loving and devoted mother to her daughter, Darren Jermaine Duncan, and her son, Lawrence Duncan III, and a cherished mother-in-law to Janell Mayo Duncan. She instilled in her children the values of hard work, integrity, and excellence, constantly reminding them to “do your best” and to be “twice as good” as the competition.

Those same lessons were lovingly passed to her grandchildren, Vantiel Elizabeth Duncan, Alexandra Grace Duncan, and Lawrence Duncan IV, whom she adored beyond measure. She celebrated every accomplishment in their lives and took immense pride in watching each of them attend and graduate from prestigious colleges. She encouraged them to excel not only in academics but also in athletics, leadership, and every opportunity life presented.

Eva possessed a remarkable gift for conversation. She loved discussing history, politics, and current events and could effortlessly recount generations of family history entirely from memory. She served as the family’s living genealogist, preserving stories and connections that might otherwise have been lost.

Her warmth drew people to her wherever she went. Eva truly believed there were no strangers—only friends she had not yet met. Her infectious sense of humor, quick wit, and genuine interest in others made everyone feel welcome, valued, and heard.

Eva also expressed her love through countless talents and passions. She was a phenomenal cook, famous among family and friends for her New York-style cheesecake and sweet potato pie. She found joy in sewing, gardening, and listening to the Motown classics she loved from the 1960s. She especially loved children, always taking time to encourage them, offering wisdom, guidance, and confidence to help them succeed in life. She was a proud member of the Rho Chi Toura Sorority, where she made lifelong friends and cultivated her style and grace.

Eva is survived by her daughter, Darren Jermaine Duncan, her son, Lawrence Duncan III and daughter-in-law, Janell Mayo Duncan; her beloved grandchildren, Vantiel Elizabeth Duncan and her spouse Taj Mallory, Alexandra Grace Duncan, and Lawrence Duncan IV; her sister, Naola Mitchell Williams, and her brother-in-law, Lorenzo Williams.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Lawrence Duncan, Jr.; her parents, Namon Mitchell and Eva Burris Mitchell; and her brother, William Burris.

Eva’s life was defined by love, resilience, generosity, and quiet strength. She devoted herself to her family, inspired everyone around her to strive for excellence, and left behind a legacy that will continue through the generations she nurtured. Her kindness, wisdom, laughter, and unconditional love will be deeply missed but forever remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her.

Her family finds comfort in knowing that she is now reunited with the love of her life, and that her legacy lives on in the children, grandchildren, family members, and countless friends whose lives she enriched.

The funeral service for Eva will take place 3 p.m. Saturday Aug. 8, at the Brackett Funeral Home, 29 Federal St., Brunswick. Eva’s burial service will occur 10 a.m. Wednesday Aug. 12, at Veterans Cemetery, Mt Vernon Road, Augusta. Memories and condolences can be shared at http://www.brackettfh.com.