Meghan was a native of New Jersey, born in Our Lady of Lourdes hospital on July 5th, 1970. Each year, it seems, people all over America seem to know it’s her birthday, and they always helped her celebrate with parades and fireworks!
She grew up in Haddonfield, NJ, with her parents Terence and Kathleen Duffy, and siblings Molly and Brendan. Although a shy and introverted child, she had a gift for connecting with people and building life-long friendships. After graduating high school in 1988, Meghan headed to the College of the Holy Cross, where she earned a double major in English and Art History.
Graduate work in art history brought her to American University in Washington, DC where she loved working at the National Gallery of Art and the National Museum of American Art. A chance encounter helped her find work in the business side of art, arranging sales and exhibitions for life-sized realistic sculptures by Seward Johnson, Jr.
It was during this time that she met Drew, the man who was to be, in her words, the love of her life. They married in 1998 and soon afterward relocated to Philadelphia for a museum services start-up. The dot-com job fizzled out, but Meghan landed on her feet, getting into event planning and fundraising for the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts while it was literally a hole in the ground.
In 2001, she moved to Collingswood, NJ, taking on a “fixer-upper” house that she loved more than she ever thought she would. It was the home she warmed with dinners, her eclectic decor style, and parties with friends.
Having children proved elusive, but Meghan’s desire to be a mother was not to be deterred, and she was overjoyed to adopt her two sons from birth. Meghan shifted to independent grant writing so she could better balance her career with parenting, and found joy being at home with the boys, while serving arts and education clients throughout the Philadelphia area.
An avid traveler, Meghan roamed from Arthur’s Seat to Kilauea, Hurricane Ridge to the Florida Keys, taking in culture or enjoying nature. Still, there was nowhere more dear to her than Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park. She visited there annually for over 40 years, sharing her favorite places with her husband and sons, returning home with a backpack full of “souvenir” rocks each time.
In early 2020, Meghan was diagnosed with ALS, which weakened her muscles but did not dim her light. She eagerly worked at using technology to allow her mobility and give her a voice. Even when largely house-bound, she cheerfully greeted caregivers, enjoyed time with visiting old friends, and found ways to build friendships and connect with the Collingswood baseball community.
Meghan passed away peacefully on the morning of May 14th, 2022, at the age of 51 years. She is survived by Drew and her sons, Claudio and Mateo.
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