Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Duncan McRae

Duncacn L. McRae born in Prescott on November 21, 1912, died at Medical Park Hospital on May 13, 2002, at the age of 89.

He was the last surviving grandchild of former Governor of Arkansas, Thomas C. McRae.

Mr. McRae graduated from Prescott High School in 1928 at the age of 16. He then attended Arkansas College (now Lyon College) for three years. At the age of 19, he enrolled at the Vanderbilt Law School. After two years at Vanderbilt, he passed the Arkansas Bar Exam in 1934, but returned to Vanderbilt to graduate in 1935, the same year he began his law practice with the Tompkins and McRae Law firm.

He practiced law for 68 years in Prescott with the current firm of McKenzie, McRae, Vasser and Barber. He was licensed to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, U.S. District Courts and the State of Arkansas. He was recognized as a Fellow of the Probate Lawyers.

He was a lifetime member of the First Presbyterian Church of Prescott where he served as Elder, Deacon and Sunday School Teacher.

He was civic minded, having served as President of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, on the Prescott School Board for 10 years, and was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow in the Prescott Rotary Club.

He was a World War II veteran, who was honorably discharged as a captain.

Mr. McRae was an avid hunter, fisherman, and golfer. He loved dogs and will miss his daughter's dogs, Jammer, Spice, Ms. Pickles and Sparky.

Survivors include: one daughter, Mary Ellen McRae of Little Rock; two nieces, Claudia Hartness of Monticello; Susan Leedy and her husband, Don, of Anaheim, Calif.; four nephews, Van Noy Culpepper and his wife, Debbie, of Yakima, Wash.; Joel Culpepper and his wife, Marian of San Antonio, Texas; Duncan McRae Culpepper and his wife, Debra, of Prescott; and Malcom Culpepper, and his wife, Jennifer, of Jonesboro; eight great-nieces and seven great-nephews.

Duncan L. McRae, Sr., and Berta Pittman McRae, his parents, and Jennie Mildred Culpepper, his sister, and Oleta Wilson McRAe, his wife, of 61 years, predeceased him.

Services were held Thursday, May 16, at 10 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Prescott, with interment at the DeAnn Cemetery.

Visitation was at Shacekelford Funeral Home from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15.

Officiating the funeral was Truman Warren of Lewisville, Texas, and Robin Nygaard of Prescott, under the direction of Shackelford Funeral Home of Prescott.

Memorials may be sent to the First Presbyterian Church, 223 East Elm in Prescott, 71857, or Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association, 8 Shackelford Plaza, Suite 208, Little Rock, 72211.