Adeline Penny Duffy

Tens of thousands of things have likely washed ashore on the Cape over the last decade, but none as beautiful, sparkly, and one-of-a-kind, as the Penny that landed in Eastham in 1947. That year, Adeline “Penny” Fuoco left the Boston neighborhood of Hyde Park (aka “Hi Pahk”) where her Italian immigrant parents had raised ten kids, went over the Sagamore Bridge, met her soon-to-be handsome war hero husband, George Duffy, and became one of the most iconic, washashores the Outer Cape would ever know. For 75 years (80% of her life), like a lighthouse, Penny was a guiding beacon on the Cape for the souls who loved her and the souls she just met. On October 16, 2022 Penny’s bright light extinguished, and she left the Cape to be reunited with George and her extended clan of crazy-ass Italian relatives who passed before her.

Like Cher, Adele, Pink, Beyonce, and Madonna, Penny was a phenom who had one-name recognition with anyone who ever met her. She was a feisty divine warrior who was often full of piss and vinegar, but it was that feistiness that stoked the love and loyalty that burned like an inferno in her heart for every living creature she cared about. Penny loved big through her tight hugs, face-engulfing smiles, and distinct laugh. When you walked in her home that trio of affectionate responses was on high volume as she extended her arms, flicked her fingers towards herself like she was directing a plane on a runway, as she squealed, “Hiiiiiiii! What are you doing here? Come give me/Auntie/Nanny a hug!”

In addition to feeling love deeply, Penny was an empath who felt the pain of others just as deep. Nothing triggered her quicker than hearing of an injustice rooted in being unkind to a person or animal. She was an outspoken advocate of “the gays” as she liked to call them long before the term “advocate” came into being. And “the gays” loved her for many reasons, but one that topped the list was the fabulous outfits she wore every day even if her plans only involved going to the North Eastham Post Office. Penny was a fashion queen, and her style was extraordinarily unique but always predictable and on point. She loved a floor length skirt designed to hit just below the knee for most women, a smart (or smaht) blouse, a fancy belt with a buckle that often looked like she won a WWE event, a broach that always ignited a compliment, weather permitting, open-toe shoes usually with pantyhose on, a feathered boa, and a stylish necklace she snagged at a garage sale for 50 cents. And speaking of garage sales, Penny’s garage sale escapades could have been a top-rated show on Bravo that was a combination of the shows American Pickers, Amazing Race, Survivor, and the Real Housewives of New Jersey which takes the dynamics of Italian women to a whole new level.

There are few people who created more fun in life than Penny. Family gatherings in her home naturally evolved from eating her signature Chicken Parmesan with ziti to everyone playing an instrument (Penny jumping between the violin and piano) and singing as her uncaged bird flew around the house, her Alaskan rabbit as big as a medium size dog hopped by, and a cat desperately tried to get away from it all. It felt, sounded, and looked like a Broadway musical performance of Dr. Doolittle every time the family gathered at her home. Interestingly, these wild times never involved alcohol. People got buzzed off the love, laughter, and music Penny’s home so naturally radiated.

Penny was as real a person as you would ever meet. She was who she was—outspoken, blunt, and unapologetic about it. Unlike the carpet-like lawns of the titan of industry homes in Chatham, Penny lived in a simple cape style home whose bone-dry grass used to cut the feet when anyone walked on it. She would tell you she belonged to The Elks with the same level of bragging someone would tell you they belonged to The Harvard Club. She oozed as much excitement about going to bingo and the fish fry as those titans of industry would ooze about going to Davos in Switzerland or skiing in Aspen.

Penny’s work ethic was simply unmatched. From waiting tables at the Lobster Pool in the 1970s decades before it was called “serving” to numerous sales jobs, Penny brought her game and hustled like a ticket scalper outside of “Fenway Pahk.” She worked well into her 80s selling promotional things Cape businesses would put their logos on –think pens, keychains, calendars, etc. She could never understand why people moved to digital calendars and why her customers stopped buying the ones meant for hanging on walls. And even though they might have stopped buying the printed calendars, Outer Cape businesses always continued to place an order for something with her because…well…she was Penny.

Penny left this earth when she was damn well ready. Breast cancer, a double mastectomy, a vicious attack by a racoon that resulted in a fall, shattered bones and dislocated legs couldn’t take her from us. Toward the end of her life, she was placed under hospice care four times and then removed from that care each time when it became clear she wasn’t down with the timing. Her soul chose to leave this life on October 16, 2022 in a breathtakingly beautiful manner surrounded and lifted by the palpable love of her family.

Her family feels zen-like peace in knowing Penny is with George, Nana and Papa, her brothers, sister, nieces, nephews, and friends who have passed before her. We know they are smelling Nana’s meatballs, eating rum cake, and making music again.

Penny’s legacy will ripple across earth for a long time to come through her children, Kathie, Tricia, and Tommy. They have Penny’s heart, work ethic, Gorilla Glue-like family loyalty, stand-up-for-what’s-right attitude, and radiant light. Her three children each embody one or more of the breathtakingly beautiful threads that made up the fabric of Penny. That fabric will continue to bring warmth to the world at a time when the world so desperately needs it.