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Casandra Duncan
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Life Story for Casandra "Sandra" Duncan (Tillett)

Cassandra Tillett Duncan of La Grange, Teas, died December 17, 2017. She died as the result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident Friday evening, December 15.

Sandra was a loving and vital part of her adopted home of Fayette County. After moving to La Grange in 2009, she immersed herself in local service activities and cared deeply about the people and events of the community.

Cassandra was born on October 13, 1929, and raided in Abilene, Teas, daughter of Henry A. Tillett, Jr and Emma Covington Tillett. Her grandfather, Henry A. Tillett was the proud owner of bother the town's first auto and its first indoor plumbing. Her father fought tin both world wars and was a rancher and inventor by trade. The Tillett family suffered through the deprivations of the Depression, at times having to rely for food on what they could grow in their backyard.

At age 15, Sandra learned how to pilot a small plane. At 16, she began attending the University of Texas at Austin, eventually receiving a degree in English. (Her granddaughter Annie is the fourth generation of Tillett women to attend UT Austin).

In the late 1940's while in her early twenties, Sandra took off to New York City for a couple of years. She spoke of walking through Central Part without any fear in the evenings. Later, she moved, again independently, to New Orleans, where she met her husband to be, Robert Duncan. Together, they enjoyed all of the cultural and culinary joys of New Orleans in the 1950s.

After marring on October 27, 1956, Sandra and Robert moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where their fist two sons, Richard and John, were born. After the family returned to Louisiana, children Lisa and Simms Duncan joined the clan. Childhood summers were filled with travel all over the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In the children's teenage years, vacations included camping in Europe, long before it was fashionable.

After the children departed for college and work, Sandra and Robert enjoyed a wonderful period of world travel. It was a golden time of enjoying each other's company.

Upon retiring, Sandra and Robert built a second home in Southern Colorado. There, in the tiny village of Cuchara, they spent many summers, sharing the home with their children and grandchildren. Sandra was privileged to have a second community of wonderful, caring neighbors and friends with which o enjoy Fourth of July parties and parades, dinner parties, local theater productions, cocktails on the deck, and sunlight on the mountains. Her service work there included support for the local volunteer fire department and the local art show, among other activities.

After Robert died on October 9, 1995, Sandra continued to travel extensively. At age 80, she decided she wanted to be nearer to family (but not too near!) and so chose La Grange as her new home. After overseeing the design and construction of her fourth home, Sandra built a whole new life of service, dedication, joy, and commitment to her community.

Her children have heard so many stories of how she shared her strength and love with those in need. She was a very active member of St. James Episcopal church, where she served as the chair of the Pastoral Care Committee for many years. In that capacity, she spent time checking on people, delivering food and prayer shawls, and comforting people who were sick, recovering from illness, or grieving.

Other volunteer activities included working in the emergency room at the local hospital, providing hospice care, working at a local non-profit resale shop run as a ministry by the local churches, and helping those in need through the local food bank.

Sandra was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Louis, and three siblings, Henry Tillett, Wilbur (Dub) Tillett, and Ione Haynie. She is survived by her children, Richard Duncan of Denver, Colorado; John Duncan (Kathy) of Cedar City, Utah; Lisa Duncan (Bill Albrecht) of Blanco, Texas; and Simms Duncan (Lisa) of Redwood City, California; and her ten grandchildren, Katie Shepard (Austin), Emma, Phip, Morgan, Thomas, Wyatt, and Hayden Duncan; and Annie, Dub, and Mia Albrecht. She was intensely proud of all of them, and all loved her dearly.

Since her adult children were not always fully informed about all that Sandra did for her friends and neighbors, if you would like to send a note regarding a favorite memory of her, please send to either lisduncan5@gmail.com or, Lisa Duncan, 4908 Ranch Road 165, Dripping Springs, Texas, We will compile into an album for her grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to either the La Veta/Cuchara volunteer fire department or the La Vita Public Library.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Casandra "Sandra" Duncan (Tillett), please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

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