Mr. Edmund C. Duffy

Edmund Charles Duffy died peacefully on October 17, 2019, surrounded by loving family. He was 77. Born and raised in Queens, Ed was an inveterate New Yorker who lived most of his years in Manhattan, never wanting to leave. He excelled as a scholar and credited his success to a strong Jesuit education first through Brooklyn Prep and then at Boston College. After receiving his law degree at Columbia, he served in Vietnam for one year as an officer in the U.S. Army. He had a long and successful career as one of the last generalist corporate lawyers, working both in the U.S. and throughout Asia.

His main priorities and joys in life were providing for his family and giving back to his fellow man. His generous philanthropy focused primarily on supporting parochial schools for children in underserved communities, veteran welfare, and the arts. He was known for his brilliant legal mind, sense of humor, optimism, joie de vivre, and love of telling stories and expounding on a wide range of subjects from opera to Chinese history.

He will be dearly missed by his family and friends, especially his children Elisabeth Duffy and husband Sam Chatterton-Kirchmeier, Margot Laksin and husband Jacob, grandchildren Caleb, Nathan, Sasha, and Amaya, and siblings Tom Duffy and wife Cornelia, and John Duffy. He is preceded in death by his mother and father, Helen and Thomas Duffy. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Ed’s name to Stand for the Troops at http://sftt.org, [email protected], or the charity of your choice. May he rest in peace.