Anita Gather Duncan

With heavy yet peaceful hearts we announce the passing of Anita Gather Duncan, 89, of Charleston, SC, on June 27, 2025.

Anita was born on January 15, 1936, in Long Branch, New Jersey, to parents Ralph and Jackie Gather, the youngest of three girls. After her father’s passing, when Anita was just three years old, her mother moved the family to Jacksonville, Florida. Jackie remarried a kind man named Tom Uhler, and “Nita” grew up there with her sisters Barbara and Joan. She attended Landon High School in Jacksonville, graduating in 1953. At just 17, she moved to Charleston, SC, to attend nursing school at the Medical College of South Carolina’s School of Nursing, where she received her RN degree in 1955. During this time, she met the love of her life, Archie “Pete” Duncan, then a cadet at The Citadel. The two married in 1956 and built a life together filled with love, family, and devotion.

Anita spent four years in Alexandria, VA, while Pete fulfilled his military commitment at Fort Belvoir. She worked in the local hospital, developing the sick infant nursery — the beginning of what is now the NICU.

Anita and Pete raised two daughters, Angela and Elizabeth, and lived for many years in Weston, Connecticut — a time the family fondly (and frostily) referred to as “the Cold Years.” There, Anita poured her heart into raising her girls while also working as a substitute school

nurse. But her heart never left Charleston, and in 1983, the family returned to the Lowcountry — a move that brought her great joy.

Anita supported Pete in his business ventures, first with Westvaco, then Duncan’s Boat Harbour, and in his work with the Kiwanis Club. She loved going to church, loved her “church family,” and sang in the choir at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. She also found peace and happiness in her garden — whether planting flowers or pulling weeds, she loved tending the earth and watching things grow.

Anita was full of life: talkative and always on the move — she was the original “Energizer Bunny.” She found it hard to sit still and was happiest when bustling around — tidying, cooking, chatting, feeding someone, or working in the yard. Anita was a devoted mother and grandmother with a special gift for making each grandchild feel deeply loved and cherished. Whether taking them to the beach, exploring the natural world hunting for “treasures,” or simply sharing a good meal, her presence made ordinary moments unforgettable.

She had a deep love for animals — both wild and domestic — and was known for her unique talent of summoning seagulls out of nowhere, delighting in the sudden swirl of wings around her. Over the years, she lovingly cared for raccoons, pelicans, otters, and even foxes — often regardless of what others might have advised.

Anita was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Archie “Pete” Duncan, who passed away in March of this year. She is survived by her daughters, Angela Millon and Elizabeth Duncan; her sister, Joan Davidson; niece, Kelly Spaid; and her beloved grandchildren: Michael Millon, Megan Millon, Paul Duncan, David Miller, and Em Miller.

A joint memorial service for Anita and Pete Duncan will be held on August 30, 2025, at 11:00

a.m. at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Wappoo Road, Charleston, SC. All are welcome to

attend and celebrate the lives of two people who loved deeply and gave generously.

“It is not the things we do, but the love with which we do them, that counts.” — St. Thérèse of

Lisieux