Norma "Jean" Duff

One of 5 children born to Otto and Louise Schnuelle, she was raised in Pickrell, NE where her father ran the local grain elevator.

After finishing high school at Beatrice, she attended Nebraska Wesleyan for a year where she joined her sister Dorothy at the Willard sorority. Jean was then accepted into the

Lincoln General School of Nursing and received her RN there 3 years later. Of note was that during this time she also took further classwork at Wesleyan and received her bachelor’s degree!

While working as a supervisor at Lincoln General she went on a blind date with Don Duff, who impressed her with knowing who Frank Lloyd Wright was. They married in 1957 and enjoyed 62 years together until Don’s passing in 2019.

After moving to Cincinnati, OH for Don’s first engineering job, Jean’s nursing career was largely replaced by raising their 4 boys. In mid-life they made a big move back to Grand Island NE where Don took over the family business in commercial roofing. Jean was known for her excellent chocolate chip cookies and sour cream raisin pie. As her sons married, she really loved the company of her daughters-in-law.

In her later years she kept up on each season of the The Bachelorette with her granddaughters and was busy reading books and the newspaper while enjoying regular games of bingo. She loved Runza Hut, especially the onion rings.

Jean was preceded in death by husband Don, son Dave, parents Louise and Otto, and siblings Vernon, Leonard, Lloyd and Dorothy.

Survivors include 3 sons-Mark [Annette], Craig [Joni], Pat [Sue], daughter-in-law Laurie, 12 grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren.

A private service will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

Contributions may be left in care of the Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home or made via pancan.org