Daniel Michael Duffy

Dan was born on September 24, 1942, in Brunswick, Maine, to Patrick and Louisa Duffy and was raised alongside his three sisters—Pat, Marie, and Jeanne—in Maine and later in Roseburg, Oregon.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army at 17 and served until he was 20, including a brief stationing in Okinawa, where he worked on trucks. He was honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant. Later, he moved to Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he met Mitzie Olenik. The two were married on February 19, 1965, and together they raised three children.

Dan devoted his career to working with cars. He spent many years with the Goodyear company—starting in service and sales before eventually opening his own store in Fort Worth. Motivated by his passion for cars, he became one of the few Master Mechanics in the country, later sharing his expertise by teaching mechanics at the Goodyear Training Center in Richardson, where he inspired countless students and earned many lifelong friends. His love of cars extended into his personal life, where he enjoyed watching all kinds of car racing. The final decade of his career, before retiring in 2017, was spent with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Skilled with his hands, Dan was also a talented painter, pianist, and woodworker. He and his family were among the first to help establish St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, and he built hundreds of self-designed porch swings for the Ulster Project there. Family, friends, and neighbors recall countless stories of Dan lending a helping hand with car repairs, home maintenance, and even crafting Christmas decorations for the entire neighborhood.

Dan is survived by his beloved wife, Mitzie; his children, daughter and son-in-law, Deborah and Allan Hayes, daughter, Brenda Duffy-Brutsche, and son and son-in-law, Patrick Duffy and Daniel Berry; and his adored grandchildren, Carson, Ellie, Maggie, Caitlin, and Abby.

A memorial mass for Daniel will be held on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 11:00 AM at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 5819 W Pleasant Ridge Rd, Arlington, TX 76016. Inurnment Service to follow at DFW National Cemetery.

Dan will be forever remembered as an extraordinary man whose kindness, great sense of humor, expertise, and generous spirit enriched the lives of so many who were blessed to know him. He loved his family so very much.