Vada Duncan, age 96, of Brownwood passed away Friday, July 30, 2021, at a local nursing home.

Vada was born to Lee and Lois (Parker) Boren of the Bowser and Elm Grove Community on September 29, 1924. She had a brother, Dayton and sister, Joyce. She grew up the oldest helping her parents with outside chores and learning to ride horses at an early age.

She continued her horseback riding he whole life and was passionate about it. She traveled many miles horseback trailing cattle and looking for arrowheads. She always had young horses she was training for her only daughter, Annette. “The Horse Lady”, as she was affectionately known worked for the cattle auction for many years and finally retired from her horseback days at the age of 75. She may have turned in her reigns, however she still loved to tell her ole horse tales and with her hard of hearing you just had no choice but to just listen.

While Vada was the San Saba Rodeo Queen she met and married the love of her life, Taylor Duncan, in Richland Springs; he was from China Creek. Together they moved to Mills County and leased and ran a place along-side the Colorado River. This was their home for 18 years, they spent most of their time taking care of their livestock and raising their only daughter, Annette. Vada was very headstrong and always right, everything had to be done her way and there was no compromising.

With Vada’s life slowing down after retirement, she was able to enjoy some of her other favorite hobbies including her gardening and cooking and baking for others. She was a master seamstress, which she learned how to do at an early age. She sewed most of her daughter’s clothes and lots of pretty western clothes. Later in life she started quilting and did that many years. She was also a very talented artist and just had a knack for drawing horses.

Vada is survived by her daughter, Annette Burkman of Brownwood; sister, Joyce Houser of Odessa; and a sister-in-law, Virginia Boren. She is also survived by numerous other relatives and a host of friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Taylor Duncan; son-in-law, Glenn Burkman; and her brother, Dayton Boren.

Funeral Services for Vada will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday August 2, 2021, at Blaylock Funeral Home Chapel with Joe Brown officiating; interment will follow at the Ebony Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 3-5 p.m. Sunday afternoon at Blaylock Funeral Home. Arrangements are under the direction of Blaylock Funeral Home of Brownwood. Online condolences for the family are welcome at www.blaylockfuneralhome.com.