WORCESTER-Ethel E. (Durkin) Duggan, 77, of Worcester, died peacefully Sunday, March 8th in UMass-Memorial Medical Center surrounded by her family. Her husband of 18 years, Francis J. Duggan, died in 1977. She leaves her children, Mary A. Hedvig, with whom she lived, Francis J. “Jay” Duggan and his wife Andrea of Clinton, Anne P. Ladner and her husband Francis of Bourne, and Thomas P. Duggan and his wife Jennifer of Holden; a sister, Dolores Farragher and her husband Jim of Clinton; ten grandchildren, who called her “Giwi”, Lynne Hedvig with whom she lived, Eileen, Andrew, Matthew and Jack Duggan, Melissa, Max and Megan Ladner, and Emily and Katie Duggan; and many nephews and nieces.
She was born in Clinton, the daughter of Patrick H. and Mary A. (Joyce) Durkin. Ethel graduated from Clinton High School in 1949 and Worcester City Hospital School of Nursing in 1952. She was an Operating Room nurse at St. Vincent Hospital for over 35 years, retiring in 1997. Ethel was a member of Blessed Sacrament Church, and she was a member and past President of the Worcester Chapter of the Association of Operating Room Nurses. Ethel enjoyed knitting, scrapbooking, golf and spending summers on the Cape. She especially loved dining out with her family and friends and spending time with her grandchildren.
The funeral is Thursday, March 12th from O’CONNOR BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, with a Mass at 11:00 A.M. in Blessed Sacrament Church, 555 Pleasant Street. Burial will be in St. John’s Cemetery, Lancaster. Calling hours are Wednesday, March 11th from 4:00 until 7:00 P.M. in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Ethel’s memory may be made to the Hole in the Wall Gang, 555 Long Wharf Drive, New Haven, CT 06511.