Deacon Isaac Duncan, Jr., of Our Lady of Good Counsel parish, Brooklyn, died June 9 at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan. He was 90. Deacon Duncan lived with his wife, Gladys, in Brooklyn. They shared 60 years together.
A funeral Mass was held Monday, June 21, at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, after which interment was held at Evergreen Cemetery.
Born in La Habana, Cuba, he was the son of Isaac Duncan Sr. and Gracia Maria Graciela Olivero Gonzalez. While living in Cuba he was employed at the Havana Newspaper as a Linotyper. On March 26, 1969, Isaac and Gladys with their two daughters left Cuba for the United States to live with his sister Thelma Barrett, her husband John Barrett, and their two sons.
After full retirement from work, he dedicated himself to the study and practice of his faith and entered the deaconship, where he counseled, gave anointing of the sick, baptized, and annulled weddings. Every chance he had he assisted at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church.
Deacon Duncan’s son, Isaac Duncan III, said his father served as a deacon for nearly 30 years “because he had a love for the camaraderie, a love of faith, and a love of exposing people to God and counseling people through their grief with the knowledge that God loves them.”
He is survived by his wife Gladys Benita Zambrana Duncan; his daughter Susana Kellum and her husband Marcus Kellum; daughter Monica Trojanowski and husband John Trojanowski; son Isaac Duncan III and wife Gessy Duncan; grandchildren Ty Trojanowski, LaTanya Nicole Trojanowski, Isaac Duncan IV, Jaxon Pratt Kellum and Tyla Michelle Trojanowski; along with his siblings Nancy, Norma, and Rebecca, in Cuba.
Sister Mary Jacqueline McDermott, CSJ, a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph for 81 years, died on June 5 at Maria Regina Residence, Brentwood.
She was the daughter of Elizabeth and Harry McDermott, one of eight children.
After graduating from St. Rose of Lima School, she attended the Juniorate of the Sisters of St. Joseph and entered the community in 1940. She earned a BA in Sociology from St. Francis College and a MA in History from the College of St. Rose, Albany. Sister taught her whole life, from grade 1A to high school, in many different locations in the Brooklyn and Rockville Centre dioceses.
After she retired from teaching, Jacqueline was always ready to volunteer wherever she could be of assistance. She was very prayerful, and her prayers provided the energy and love she shared with all those around her. Last January, the staff of Maria Regina Residence threw her a wonderful 100th birthday party since COVID-19 restrictions limited what her family could do.
Msgr. James McNamara celebrated Sister Mary Jacqueline’s Mass of Christian Burial on June 9 at Sacred Heart Chapel, Brentwood. Her burial followed in Calvary Cemetery, Brentwood.
Sister Dorothy Ann Delaney, CSJ, formerly known as Sister Mary Anselma, died June 22 in the 71st year of her religious life. She entered the congregation from her home parish of Incarnation, Queens Village, in 1950.
Sister Dorothy earned her BS Degree in Commerce from The College of Mt. St. Vincent in 1949, and her MS in Commerce Education in 1959.
Sister Dorothy ministered as an elementary school teacher in Brooklyn and spent from 1959 to 1978 in Puerto Rico as bursar of Catholic University of PR, Elementary School Principal, and in a Religious Education Program. These years were very precious to her. From 1978 to 1986, she worked in the Treasurer’s office of the CSJ congregation, followed by serving as Secretary/Treasurer of Holy Family, Flushing, until 2011 when she moved to St. Joseph Convent, Brentwood.
Sister Dorothy was gifted with wit, curiosity, prayerfulness, and generosity, always ready to support and serve. She is survived by her beloved Sisters of St. Joseph and a very loving family.
Her wake and Mass of Christian burial took place in Sacred Heart Chapel, Brentwood, on June 25, followed by her interment in Calvary Cemetery, Brentwood.
