Norman Luther "Luke" Duncan, 75, of Hayden, Idaho, passed away on Jan. 8, 2015, at Whitman Hospital and Medical Center in Colfax, Wash.

Luke was born March 27, 1939, in San Fernando, Calif. to Arnold "Ike" and Vivian "Mike" (West) Duncan. He grew up in southern California, graduating in 1957 from San Fernando High School where he met his future wife, Karen Sue McGuire.

After high school, Luke became an oiler on construction cranes, eventually working up to operator. Luke and Karen were married on June 10, 1961, at the Church of the Chimes in Van Nuys, Calif. He changed careers in the early 1970s, making real estate sales and investment his chief vocation. They made Granada Hills, Calif. their home until 1979, when the family moved to Hayden, Idaho.

After the move, Luke had a number of adventures in the career arena: He drove semi-trucks; flew crop dusting planes out of Oakesdale, Wash.; taught ground school flight training classes; owned and operated the Scenic Bay Boat Shop in Bayview, Idaho; and became a mechanical fire investigator.

Luke and Karen lived in Hayden until 2012, when health concerns brought them to Colfax, Wash., to be near their daughter and her family.

Luke was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed snow and waterskiing, snowmobiling, camping, and flying both model and full-scale sailplanes. Luke and Karen were long-time members of the Kampin' Kabineers camping club, where they served as Wagonmasters for several years. Luke loved exploring the California back-country by dune buggy and the camaraderie of potluck dinners and campfire circles, where Karen played guitar for sing-a-longs. He was always tinkering with something or other and when cars, boats, motorcycles, or buggies broke down people counted on Luke to have a spare part and the knowledge to get them running. He even raced the family ski boat on the Colorado River, and brought home two trophies - one for the class he entered, and one for the class two levels above because he beat the best time in that class too.

Luke also loved to entertain. Whether hosting pool parties in the California backyard, good-naturedly hassling a waitress, hustling the potluck line at a camp outing, or sipping a beer while "skiing" a lawn chair on top of a disk of plywood, he loved to be the center of attention. Luke also had a generous heart and a soft place for stray animals and people in trouble. He loved to collect stray animals, especially cats. At one point there were seven in the house! He also flew search-and-rescue missions with the Coeur d'Alene Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, earning numerous finds and was credited with saving seven human lives.

Luke was a committed husband, father and friend, and will be missed by many.

Luke was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by two daughters, Mandie (Les) MacDonald of Colfax, Wash., and Shannon Bouffiou of Arenal, Guanacaste, Costa Rica; his sister Judy Egbert of American Fork, Utah; and four granddaughters - Chelsea Selph, Brooke Selph, Katharine MacDonald and Alison MacDonald.

At Luke's request, no services will be held.

Bruning Funeral Home of Colfax, Wash. is caring for the family. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that you share with them your memories of Luke.

Online condolences may be sent to www.bruningfuneralhome.com.