Barnet, VT -- Duncan Milo, McLaren, a Vermont war veteran, businessman, community leader, and long-time resident of Barnet has died.

Born on the generational McLaren Barnet Center farmstead of his father James Carroll McLaren, Duncan was the youngest of the three sons of Mr. McLaren and Mina Katherine McLaren. Duncan and his brothers Merrill Somers and Martin Wakefield were born and raised during depression and pre-World War II turbulence, events of a time and era that shaped a generation and defined Duncan's character.

The McLaren farm insulated its family from the harshest depression deprivation, while the McLaren boys and their household were efficiently managed by Mr. McLaren's sisters Laurel, Elsie, and Hester following the death of Katherine on October 19, 1934. Despite a challenging economic environment, Mr. McLaren saw opportunity in the mechanization of small-scale U.S. Farming and in the early 1930s established a farm machinery business that would introduce farm modernization to the North East Kingdom and play an important role in Duncan's life.

Each McLaren brother attended The Peacham Academy, and at the outbreak of war, Martin joined the Navy and served in the Pacific while Duncan enlisted in the U.S. 2nd Armored Division. Joining the 41st Armored Infantry Regiment, Duncan landed at Normandy and lead a squadron through the Battle of the Bulge and across France, in his words, "on my belly." Duncan's division saw fighting in Holland and Germany, and he was shot while on the the French border of Belgium. Months before the close of the World War II, Duncan and the world returned to post-war peace.

Like his nation, Duncan's post-war life moved quickly. He graduated from The University of Vermont with a degree in agricultural business, and met his wife of 62 years (Duncan died on February 13, 2016 one day short of his 63rd wedding anniversary), the beautiful young daughter of Francis and Dorothy Riley and Bryn Mawr graduate who spent summers in Peacham away from her Philadelphia home.

Following a short romance, Duncan and Jeanne Riley McLaren began their life on Church Street in Barnet in a family house of his father's second wife, Harriet Elliott McLaren. They raised three children while anchoring a lively community of Barnet friends including the Kimball, Robinson, Rutledge, Churchill, Dunbar, Emmons, Evans, and Whitehill families. A dependable presence at town meetings, gatherings, and in town politics, Duncan and Jeanne served the community in positions from school aid to bank board member, and Duncan was an active advocate and sometimes critic of the Barnet School system. Throughout their residence, both were active in cultural and community management.

Following a long career in real estate (McLaren's Inc. disbanded during a 1980's economic downturn and three snowless Vermont winters), Duncan and Jeanne moved, with some fanfare, from their Barnet home,  and left the town without a continuous permanent McLaren resident since the 1775 arrival of John McLaren from the Balquidder region of Scotland.

The couple moved to South Burlington to be near their children Patricia Jeanne McLaren Cram and Robert Duncan McLaren. There, the couple was active with Burlington's First Congregational Church and other community activities. In November, Duncan was invited to participate in Burlington Veteran's Day commemorations with Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, U.S. senators Bernard 'Bernie' Sanders and Patrick Leahy, U.S Congressman Peter Welch, and his grandson and Welch representative Ryan Duncan McLaren.

Duncan Milo McLaren died peacefully following a short illness at 8:05am on February 13, 2016. He is survived by his wife Jeanne of Essex Junction, his daughter Patricia and her husband U.S MSG Michael Cram of Milton, his son Robert and his wife Diane Noel McLaren of Essex Junction, and his son Mark Riley McLaren of New York City. He is also survived by six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren including U.S PFC Kaleb Landue-Robinson, and one great-great grandchild.

Duncan is pre-deceased by his parents and step-mother, his parents-in-law, his brothers, their wives Carin Eleanor Person McLaren, Felicia Iris Dible McLaren, and Helen Baker McBride McLaren, two sisters-in-law and three -brothers-in-law.

A service for Duncan will be held at the Barnet Congregational Church in Barnet VT on Wednesday February 17th at 11:00am. A luncheon hosted by Duncan's family follows and donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Barnet's Ben's Mill Historic Preservation Fund ( www.bensmill.com ), Vermont Habitat for Humanity ( www.vermonthabitat.org ), and The Alzheimer's Association of Vermint ( www.alz.org/vermont ).