WORCESTER-Edward J. Duffner, 85, of Worcester, died Sunday, November 29th in the Jewish Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center after a brief illness. His wife of 40 years, Ann C. (Finn) Duffner and his second wife of 10 years, Margaret E. (Gonyeon) Duffner, predeceased him. He leaves his three daughters, Mary Plante and her husband Gary, Cecilia Iwanski and her husband Fran and Ann Gilligan, all of Dudley; his five sons, John Duffner and his wife Cathy, Fred Duffner and his wife Jeanne of Yardley, PA, Edward Duffner and his wife Yvette of Holbrook, NY, Christopher Duffner and his wife Carol of Hauppauge, NY and Jim Duffner and his wife Rose of Massapequa, NY; his brother, Maurice Duffner; 24 grandchildren; and 13 great grandchildren. His siblings, Fred, Kathleen, Jim, Lucille and Maryann predeceased him.
Mr. Duffner was born in Dickens, Iowa, the son of Frederick and Agnes (Deck) Duffner. He grew up on a farm in Ayrshire Iowa and attended grade school at Sacred Heart there. Mr. Duffner was a graduate of Gillett Grove High School and played on the St. Louis Cardinal’s farm team as a pitcher. He then entered the Navy under the WWII Act as a salvage diver. Upon being discharged from the Navy, Mr. Duffner worked for Republic Aviation in New York for 14 years. He then moved to New Jersey with his family, where he owned and operated a poultry farm. While there, Mr. Duffner served as president of the PTO and was a member of the 4th Knights of Columbus at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Vineland, New Jersey.
In 1969, he and his family moved to Massachusetts where Ed worked for Plymouth Furniture in North Grovesnordale, CT. He later was a dock foreman for M&M Trucking Transportation and a store manager for over 12 years at Honey Farms, retiring at the age of 62. After his retirement, he drove a bus for the Dudley/Charlton school district. He enjoyed woodworking, traveling and being with his family. For the past 15 years, he had been a resident of Coes Pond Village in Worcester. Mr. Duffner was an active member at Our Lady of the Angels Church. He enjoyed his ministry as an altar server and Eucharistic Minister. He was a volunteer at the Worcester Foothills Theater and enjoyed line dancing. Known as PopPop to his grandchildren and great grandchildren, he was a great storyteller and enjoyed entertaining his family with tall tales. Ed was a wonderful and caring father to his children and a funny and loving grandfather. His sense of humor and colorful personality will be greatly missed by his family.
The funeral is Thursday, December 3rd from O’CONNOR BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 592 Park Avenue with a Mass at 10:00 AM in Our Lady of the Angels Church, 1222 Main Street. Burial will be in St. Anthony’s Cemetery, Webster. Calling hours are Wednesday, December 2nd from 2:00 until 4:00PM and from 6:00 until 8:00 PM in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to the Our Lady of the Angels School Endowment Fund, 1220 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01603.