Erika M Duffy

A Celebration of her Life will be held at Hampton Vaughan Crestview Chapel with Chaplain Reggie Coe, officiating. There will be a short visitation at 9:30am followed by a Memorial Service at 10:00am under the direction of Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home in Wichita Falls. Final resting place will be at Hampton Vaughan Crestview Memorial Park.

Erika Margarete Fechner was born November 29, 1917, in Dresden, Germany. As a child and young woman, Erika experienced many atrocities during that time. Thankfully, she lived to experience happier times when she met and married the love of her life, William (Bill) John Duffy on March 1, 1951, in Germany and bore their only son, George Thomas (Tom) Duffy, born July 20, 1953. She came to America with her husband Bill, and son Tommy, after the allies took control of Berlin at the end of World War II. She very patriotic and proudly became a United States citizen on September 5, 1962. Erika was a wonderful homemaker but also worked in the cafeteria at Wichita Falls High School for several years. She acquired her fine culinary skills from a an up-scale restaurant she worked at in Germany.

She was so proud of her husband whom she referred to as “My Bill”, who retired as a Chief Master Sergeant with the United States Air Force. Of his many service accomplishments, she was especially proud of the fact that he flew in the Berlin Airlift. Bill and Erika traveled many years together while in the Air Force and continued their travels after Bill retired. Much of that time was spent on golf courses and in bowling allies with their friends. They were married for 48 years.

If you knew Erika, you knew she was feisty, opinionated and never minced words. But we all loved that about her! Her true passion in life was her family, friends, and her many pets she had throughout the years. She loved flowers and receiving greeting cards from all her family and friends which she kept and read repeatedly. One of her greatest accomplishments was that she still bowled at the age of 100. Up until she was no longer mobile, Erika had her hair done weekly by her dear friend Staci at Stacia’s Salon and her nails done by Michelle Hoang at The Hair Port. Although she never drove, she was independent and lived alone until she was 103. In her later years, Erika attended Grace Church of Wichita Falls.

Erika was preceded in death by her beloved Bill who passed in April 1999 and beloved son Tom who passed in December 2020. Tom, whom she lovingly referred to as “My Tommy” was a devoted caregiver to her until he passed away.

Special thanks to her closest friends who were there for her and loved her well until the end: Ryan Younker, George and Tanja Robinson, Rich and Georgia Reinert, Tom and Mary Ann Sosebee, Joan Funari, Stacie Tucker, Michelle Hoang, Becky Figueroa, Lisa Meese and most especially to Hospice of Wichita Falls, First Texas Home Health nurse Cissy Cates, and Nurse Doris Owens-Dennis at The Gables who stayed with her until she passed from this life.

For those desiring, memorial donations may be made in honor of Erika, to her favorite organization, Hospice of Wichita Falls, 4909 Johnson Road, Wichita Falls, TX 76310 (howf.org)

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hamptonvaughancrestview.com for the Duffy family.