Mary Bridget (Whelan) Duffy, a longtime resident of East Hartford passed away on Sunday, November 6, 2011. May will be missed by many, but especially to the Irish Cultural Community. She was born in Dublin, Ireland on August 6, 1926 to Joseph and Josephine Whelan and was the beloved wife of the late James Duffy.
May was the founder of Duffy Academy of Irish Music and Dance in 1958 with twelve locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts. She was a TCRG, ADCRG of An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha (Irish Dancing Commission) Dublin, the Irish Dance Teacher's Association of North America and the New England Irish Dance Teachers Association. She Studied at the Comerford School of Irish Dance, Dublin Conservatory of Music and the London College of Music. She was a life Member of the Irish American Home of Glastonbury.
She is survived by her children and their spouses: Catherine & John Wrona, Philomena Coker, Joseph & Anita Duffy, Maura & Robert Alford, Patrick & Susan Duffy and Elizabeth Duffy; several grandchildren and great grandchildren
In addition to her husband and her parents, May is predeceased by her brothers Joseph, Gerard, Sean, Paudge and James.
Funeral services will be Saturday, November 12th at 9AM from the Benjamin J. Callahan/Newkirk & Whitney Funeral Home, 318 Burnside Avenue, followed by her Mass of Christian Burial, 10AM at St. Rose Church, 33 Church St., burial will follow in Silver Lane Cemetery, all located in East Hartford. Visiting hours at the funeral home will be Friday, November 11th, from 4-8 p.m.
In Lieu of flowers, in an effort to help discover a cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis, donations may be made in May’s memory to the Arthritis Foundation, 35 Cold Spring Road, Suite 411, Rocky Hill, CT 06067.
For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.callahanfuneral.com
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