Duncan H. Cameron
Duncan Hume Cameron of Paul Smiths, and Washington, D.C. passed away peacefully in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 at age 90. A beloved husband, father and grandfather, Duncan was a true gentleman. He had a steady, gentle manner that put people at ease and a twinkle in his eye that revealed a true delight in life. He took an interest in people from all walks of life and made them feel valued. He was a person of high standards of ethics and integrity. Duncan enjoyed many close, life-long friendships and never turned down a good party.
Duncan was born in Manitoba, Canada in 1934 to the psychiatrist, Dr. D. Ewen Cameron and Jean Carruthers Cameron (ne Rankine), both from Scotland. He was the eldest of their four children. The family lived in several places in the northeast but eventually came to call Lake Placid home. As a young man, Duncan worked as a foreign correspondent for The Enterprise, authoring articles for the paper while on a summer tour of Europe.
A founding partner of the law firm Cameron & Hornbostel LLP, based in Washington, D.C., Duncan had a distinguished career as a lawyer. He held a BA from Harvard College (’56) and a JD and PhD from Columbia University. He lectured for over twenty years at Georgetown University Law Center and the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He also taught at the INCAE Business School at the school’s Costa Rica and Nicaragua campuses. Duncan served for many years as President of the Board of Trustees at Zamorano University, the Pan-American Agricultural School in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. In his retirement, Duncan worked as an arbitrator and mediator and co-founded Global InterMediation PLLC, a mediation company.
Throughout his life, Duncan maintained a close connection with the Adirondacks. Beginning with his childhood in Lake Placid and, later, over the course of forty-two summers spent at his residence on Upper St. Regis Lake, Duncan canoed and hiked much of the park. In the winters, he enjoyed cross-country skiing and snow shoeing. He particularly enjoyed walking the trails at the Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC).
Duncan was also an active member of the Adirondack community. He served as President of the St. Regis Property Owners Association and as a board member of the Adirondack Architectural Heritage. He maintained a keen interest in the history of the region, authoring articles on the history of the Adirondack railroads and the St. Regis Property Owners Association.
He is survived by his wife Caroline; his two daughters Sarah Cameron and Anne Cameron; his siblings Airlie Lennon and Stuart Cameron and four grandchildren. He was predeceased by his beloved brother, Jamie Cameron.
Duncan will be deeply missed and long remembered. A gathering to celebrate his life will be held on Upper St. Regis Lake this summer.