Curtis Duane Duncan

Curtis Duncan, 69, of Goodland, KS passed away at his home on Friday, July 12, 2024 leaving behind a legacy of exceptional service to his community and broadcasting.

Curtis was born on June 26, 1954, to Duane and Doris Duncan in Olathe, KS. At the age of 9, he watched two broadcasters from KOFO in Ottawa cover their local county fair passing along interviews, 4-H results, and information on fair events. Knowing instantly this is what he wanted to do, he took the initiative to reach out to these men. As a result, he was on the air live with them later that very afternoon assisting in fair coverage. His first talent compensation was 2 cartons of chocolate milk. This marked the beginning of what would be a remarkable union of broadcasting and service to community that spanned over the past 6 decades.

Curtis made many stops early in his broadcast tenure…Ottawa, Topeka, Montgomery City Missouri, Leonardtown Maryland, Columbus Mississippi…and he was even a TV news anchor for 4 years in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. It was there he was dubbed “the poor man’s Willard Scott.” In the mid-90’s, Curtis moved to northwest Kansas and became the morning show host for KXXX-AM. Following two years in Colby, he was hired by KLOE/KKCI radio in Goodland where he proudly and enthusiastically remained until his passing.

Curtis was the quintessential community broadcaster. His listeners relied on him for comprehensive weather coverage, both on calm days and stormy days. He was known to camp out on a cot at the radio station for days, always just a few paces away from the mic so that he could pass along the latest information. He was deemed so important to the area that the National Guard made it a priority to get him to the station during winter storms if the roads were unpassable.

Curtis’ commitment to community extended beyond the airwaves. His passion for storytelling and a genuine interest in the lives of those he served made him an indispensable pillar of the community. He was seen at nearly every school concert, from elementary to high school. The Goodland Auditorium even had a permanent seat reserved for him (3rd row aisle seat). He was a fixture at county fairs, service organization fund raisers, ribbon cuttings, and numerous other community events. He was always armed with his trusty recorder so that he could share highlights of those events with his extremely loyal listeners during his popular “Good Neighbor Hour” on the KLOE morning show. Curtis served as Chairman of the Board for the Sherman County Red Cross, was a board member with the Goodland United Methodist Church, and was active with the local VFW, American Legion, and countless other service organizations. In 2019, the Kansas Association of Broadcasters honored him with the “Sonny Slater Award” for service to the station and community.

Curtis is survived by his daughter Malia (Mike) Brand of Overland Park, KS, his granddaughter Vega Mercer (whom he proudly announced her birth to listeners on air in 2007), his sisters Glenda Kramer, Gloria Ware, and brother Phillip Duncan. He is proceeded in death by his parents Duane and Doris Duncan and his sister Eileen Duncan.

Curtis’ family has been deeply touched by the community’s outpouring of love and sentiment for him since his passing. They invite the community to join them in a celebration of Curtis’ life on Friday, August 2nd at 10:45 AM MT at the United Methodist Church in Goodland, KS with Pastor Younghwan Won officiating. The family encourages attendees to wear their favorite color with the same joy that Curtis did for his Hawaiian shirts. For those unable to attend in person, NWKS will broadcast services live on station 730 KLOE and online at NWKSradio.net/KLOE.

Memorial contributions may be made out to the Northwest Kansas Animal Shelter and may be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735.