Sidney S. Duff

Sidney S. Duff, age 88 died peacefully in his sleep, Wednesday, morning, 19 Apr 2023, at 10:48 AM surrounded by his wife of 64 years, Dolores Duff, and his son Vincent Duff in the home he and his wife built together at 3609 York Road, in Mobile, AL 36605-4354. After having spent a week in Springhill Memorial Hospital and then a week with Gentiva Hospice at his home, he passed away peacefully from old age. His beloved Parish Priest, who has been delivering the Eucharist to him since he has been homebound for the past couple of years, Father Prabhu Arockiasamy HGN, of our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, administered the Anointing of the Sick Sacrament to him one week ago when he was in the ICU at Springhill Memorial Hospital.

Dolores and Vincent ask everyone to pray a Hail Mary for Sidney. It was Sidney's last wish that in lieu of a conventional Catholic Funeral, he be cremated by Radney Funeral Home and that his cremains be buried at the prearranged Conway Family Cemetary (located at Dolores's Homestead Property) in Atmore, Alabama, where his daughter, Dody Duff, was buried in 1987 after her death. Like with the death of Dody, Dolores, and Vincent will have a private family funeral service at a later undetermined time to bury his cremains in the Family Cemetary at some time in the future with the attendance of a Catholic Priest.

Dolores and Vincent will have a Memorial Mass and a Rosary said at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church sometime in May 2023.

To respect his family's wishes, Dolores and Vincent ask that you refrain from making phone calls or text messages to the home during this sad time. In lieu of Flowers, you may make a gift to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 1621 Boykin Blvd. Mobile, AL 36605-4238 marked Sidney S. Duff Memorial Gift. You may email Vincent and Dolores anytime at [email protected] or pay your respects at Radney Funeral Home at dignitymemorial.com

The following information was left to the family by Sidney S. Duff in his home office and was written by Sidney's own hand.

"November 14, 1959, Sidney Married Dolores Shanks Duff, following a blind date recommended by his stepmother in July 1959. They were married for 64 years and received a Papal Blessing from Pope Benedict XXVI for their fiftieth Wedding Anniversary and another Papal Blessing from Pope Francis for their sixtieth Wedding Anniversary. While they started their life together at Little Flower Catholic Church, in Mobile, the last 63 years were spent together at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church at 1621 Boykin Blvd, in Mobile, AL 36605-4238. Sidney & Dolores had two children together, Vincent Stephen Duff in 1961 and Dolores Doreen (Dody) Duff in 1962.

Sidney attended grade school at St. Matthews grade school in Oakdale and finished attending grade school at Little Flower Catholic Gradeschool at the Loop in Mobile Alabama. His Mother Theresa Catherine Duff died when he was 14 years of age. Dad and his eldest brother Henry and his brother Robert (Bobby) all sold papers for the Mobile Press-Register at the corner of Dauphin Island Parkway and Government Street when he was a boy before they started school at Little Flower. Their Father, Henry Joseph Duff worked as an engineer at the L&N Railroad. His Mother Theresa was a homemaker of three boys until her untimely death from tuberculosis at Sidney's age of 14. Sidney graduated from Murphy High School in 1958.

In 1953 Sidney joined the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and was trained by the Navy as an Apprentice and then Journeyman as an Aircraft Structural Mechanic.

In 1955 Sidney started work in the Defense Department's Civil Service as an Aircraft Structural Mechanic at Brookley Field for 11 years in Mobile Alabama as a careerist

After Brookley Air Force Base closed, beginning April 1, 1965, through his retirement on April 7, 1990, Sidney served for 25 Years as a member of the Mobile Fire and Rescue Department as a firefighter driver. He retired from MFRD at age 55.

While working for MFRD, beginning in 1960 Sidney worked at the Mobile Municipal Auditorium, Theatre, Convention Center, and Expo Hall for 45 Years serving as an electrician, carpenter, and rigger.

From 1990-2005 Sidney Worked for 15 years as a theatrical Stage Employee of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, I.A.T.S.E. Local 142 as Secretary, Treasurer, and Business Agent.

In 2005 Sidney retired again at age 72 with his wife Dolores where he regularly attended Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church at 1621 Boykin Blvd, Mobile, AL 36605-4238 where he fed his koi pond, maintained his yard, and enjoyed Saints and Alabama football. In lieu of flowers, it is Sidney's wish that donations be made to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church care of Sidney S. Duff Memorial Fund.

Sidney is survived by his Son Vincent Stephens Duff a retired Defense Department Army Buyer, his wife Dolores Shanks Duff a lifelong homemaker, and his eldest brother Henry Joseph Duff who is a retiree of Kimberly Clark Paper Mill, and his wife Skeeter Duff."