Duncan Baker Sheldon

Duncan Baker Sheldon of Weston, MA died on November 21, 2025, at the age 86. He was born in Oklahoma City on August 24, 1939, to the late Doris Duncan Sheldon. As a boy he lived in San Marino, CA, next door to the then elderly Robert Millikan, the physicist who first measured the charge on the electron. He received a Bachelor's Degree from McGill University in 1961 and a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy Degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1963 and 1969.
He worked for several years at the Navy's undersea warfare laboratories in New London, CT and Newport, RI. For three years he was a Principal Scientist at the NATO undersea research center in La Spezia, Italy. His duties included real-time direction at sea of surface sonar assets during ‘free-play' NATO ASW exercises. He lectured nationally and internationally and contributed articles to the U.S. Navy Journal of Underwater Acoustics. Prior to working for the Navy, he contributed to the first tailing vortex warning system installed at Heathrow and Logan Airports. One of his most rewarding professional opportunities was his affiliation with Aereon Corporation of Princeton, New Jersey. After leaving the Navy laboratory he was a consultant for MIKEL., Inc, of Middleton, Rhode Island.
While living in Italy he took advantage of the opportunity to learn Italian and continued to study the language after returning to the United States. He was an avid reader of Dante's Divine Comedy and enjoyed the poetry of Yeats and Elliot.
He leaves behind his wife of 61 years, Helen Sheldon, daughters Kirsten Santos (Danny) of Gridley, CA and Bryn Dore of Watertown, MA. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Hunter Santos, Kayleigh Dore and Siera Santos.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Ignatius of Loyola Church 28 Commonwealth Ave. Chestnut Hill on Saturday December 6th at 10:00 am. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Duncan may be made to Meals on Wheels America, P.O. Box 791568, Baltimore, MD 21279-1568. 
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