William ‘Bill’ D. Duncombe [June 11, 1956 – May 11, 2013], professor of public administration at the Maxwell School, Syracuse University, had an international reputation in school finance and public budgeting and finance. He received the B.A. from the University of Washington, and the MPA (1987) and Ph.D. (1987) both from Syracuse, before a brief faculty position at the University of Georgia (1989-1991) before returning to Syracuse as a faculty member (1991-2013). A prodigious scholarly publishing record significantly influenced education finance highlighted by the requested involvement of his data-driven approach to contentious school finance reform in California, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, and Texas, and the City of St. Louis. His professional recognitions include editor of Public Budgeting & Finance (2011-1013), elected NAPA fellow (2010), and recipient of the National Tax Journal’s Musgrave Award for best article (2011). Known for his commitment to helping doctoral students achieve research success, his recognitions include Syracuse University’s Excellence in Graduate Education Award (2006) and NASPA’s Whittington Teaching Award (2006). NASPA honors his legacy with the Duncombe Excellence in Doctoral Education Award.