Paul Thomas Duffey

To Paul Thomas Augustine Duffey, the entire world was an opportunity. An expressive, optimistic, and positive individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Paul, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Paul really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Paul was born on February 20, 1932 at home with a midwife in Ottawa, Ontario. His parents were Owen and Margaret Duffey. Paul was raised in Ottawa for 6 years and then moved to Chateauguay, Quebec. Even as a child, Paul had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly.

Paul was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, having a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Paul managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Paul was raised with eight siblings. He had five brothers Raymond, Gerry, Kevin, Donald and James, sisters Gwen, Moira and Joan.

Paul was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Paul experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in paddling, football, hockey and softball. He also belonged to the Scouts. Paul's memorable achievements included building the family sidewalk at 12 years of age. Later he won many races in canoeing and kayaking, with national level accomplishments.

Paul simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. Paul graduated from Montreal Catholic High School in 1949. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favourite classes and teachers, and enjoying playing football for the school. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Brother Paul.

Paul never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Paul to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just chatting, Paul was always enjoyed time spent with others. Paul could talk with anyone, no matter what their background. While growing up, some of his best friends were Bill Melville, Ed Brady, Earl Kehoe, Eddie Smith and Bill Wilson. Later in life, he became friends with Lionel Malkin, Jackie McCormick, Norm Sutherland and Gerry McCrath. Paul loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Paul very easy to approach. Paul married Mary Evelyn Yeates on October 5th, 1957 in Montreal, Quebec. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage. Paul said that it was love at first sight, and he never lost that feeling for Evelyn. He was particularly kind, gentle and supportive to her throughout their marriage.

Paul treasured his time with his children. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Paul was blessed with three children, Sharyn, Brian and Diane. They were also blessed with five grandchildren, Neil, Brenna, Chanelle, Gillian and Ciara. Paul had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Paul's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun or teaching them a new skill.

At work, as in life, Paul was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Paul liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Paul was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Paul's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Paul as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was Machinery Salesperson. He was employed for twenty years by Acme Saw Company, 20 years self-employed at Abrasicorp and 12 years at Paul Duffey Enterprises. He was respectful of and attentive to his customers and many of his customers stayed with him throughout his career.

Paul did not take much time for leisure but was always staying busy. His favourite pursuits were gardening, fishing, skiing and chatting with neighbours. Paul felt excited and challenged by sports. Paul loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Paul relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Paul never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Paul played football, hockey and paddling. Recreational sports included paddling and hockey. Paul was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favourite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were his Montreal Canadians, the Montreal Allouettes) and Olympics. He encouraged and supported his children’s interests in sports as well.

A generous person who often wore his heart on his sleeve, Paul often found himself involved in activities he deemed important. He was charitable, kind and giving, qualities that made him a natural volunteer. Outspoken in his beliefs, yet tactful in his dealings with others, Paul was a member of several community groups, serving on committees for the paddling club and leading the water board at the cottage in St. Albans. Politically, Paul was always a liberal supporter.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Paul recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member of our Lady of Perpetual Help for 53 years and 2 years at St. Therese. He was a warden for 10 years and an Alter Boy.

Naturally outgoing and generous, Paul was regularly doing things for others. For him, the gift of giving to others was second nature. This included driving anyone anywhere they needed to go, helping in other’s gardens, helping install or build something or just working through a problem. Though he never set out to gain individual recognition, Paul was given accolades for his many and varied accomplishments throughout his life. Some of his most prestigious awards included Canadian Dominion Champions Paddling Double Blade K1 - 1950 and Canadian Dominion Champions Paddling Single Blade 4 - 1956.

Paul loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favourite vacations included camping in the early years, then cottage vacations in St. Albans, VT, trips to Ireland, Scotland, England, Germany and Florida in the winter later in life.

Paul was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Paul's favorites was Sasha a Lab/Shepherd mix dog. They were best friends for 12 years.

Paul believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 2007, Paul took it in stride as one more way to have fun. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Paul remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, he found new pleasure in walking his dog KC and playing darts. Even in retirement, Paul continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Paul passed away on December 12, 2018 at Hillsdale Terraces, Oshawa, Ontario. His battle with Alzheimer’s finally came to an end. He is survived by his children Sharyn, Brian and Diane, his grandchildren Neil, Brenna, Chanelle, Gillian and Ciara. His brothers Donald and James. Services were held at Courtice Funeral Chapel. Paul was laid to rest next to his wife Evelyn in Christ-Roi Cemetery in Chateauguay, Quebec.

Paul brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Paul Thomas Duffey lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.

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Born in 1932, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family on December 12th, 2018, in his 87th year. Beloved husband to his late wife Evelyn. Dedicated father to Sharyn (Pete), Brian (Cindy), and Diane Imrie (Michael). Adored Grandfather to Neil (Samantha), Brenna (Jonathan), Chanelle (Jesse), Gillian (Ryan), Ciara (Pat), Mario (Jordan) and Nicholas. Brother to late Gerald, late Gwen, late Kevin (late Kay), late Moira (late Peter), late Joan (late Norman), Donald (Claire) and James (late Rita) and many nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank the staff at Hillsdale Terraces for their compassionate care.

Paul lived most of his life in Chateauguay, Quebec, where he was an active volunteer and member of his church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help. He also spent over 40 years summering in his beloved Vermont.

Paul was a kind and generous soul. He was funny and truly enjoyed making others happy. He lived his life to the fullest. Paul will be remembered and greatly missed by everyone that he touched. Visitation will be held at COURTICE FUNERAL CHAPEL 1587 Highway #2, Courtice (905-432-8484) on Thursday, December 13th, 2018 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM and on Friday from 10:00 AM until time of Funeral Service in the chapel at 11:00 AM. Interment Cimetiere Catholic Christ Roi, Chateaugay, Quebec. Donations to the Alzheimer Society are welcome (Cornwall Branch suggested) or to a charity of your choice. Online tributes may be made at www.courticefuneralchapel.com