Don was born on June 20, 1936 in Brodhead, Wisconsin to Thurman Duff and Evelyn Muriel Bemis Duff. He had 3 half-siblings on his father’s side, twins John T. (Jack) Duff, Jerald L. (Jerry) Duff (deceased), and Warren Duff, all residing in Wisconsin. In 1954 Don graduated from Northside High School in Ft. Wayne, Indiana and entered the United States Air Force in October of 1955. During his service, he functioned as a weather observer overseas in Saudi Arabia and also traveled to Israel. He was honorably discharged after four years of service in October of 1961.
After his discharge, Don met his wife Sharon Kay Buess from Wharton, Ohio, at a nursing school dance in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They married the following year on Sept.1st, 1962. After receiving a degree in electrical engineering from the Indiana Institute of Technology in 1966, Don began a 33 year career at GE, first in Bellevue, Ohio and later moving to the Ravenna lamp plant in 1977. He retired from GE in 1999, but continued to attend breakfast meetings with his retired GE work friends until his death.
Don was preceded in death by his father Thurman Duff, his mother Evelyn Phinney, and his wife Sharon from Alzheimer’s in 2014. He is survived by their 4 children, Jennifer (James) Niemann of Auburn, OH, James (Nicole) Duff of Allison Park, PA, Clifford (Erin) Duff of Medina, OH, and Benjamin (Jennifer) Duff of Baton Rouge, LA, as well as his 6 grandchildren. Don was a devoted family man, and after retiring and caring for his wife through her illness, he remained active in all of his children and grandchildren’s lives until his own passing.
Don was a longtime member of the Ravenna First United Methodist Church where he sang in the choir. He also participated in many of their events including their yearly mission trip to Henderson, KY. Don especially enjoyed chauffeuring many of his church friends around to weekly dinners and to their mission locations.
Don was always willing to lend a helping hand, and it’s been said by many who knew him that he ‘never met a stranger’, but considered everyone a friend. He will be deeply missed by his family and many friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations would benefit the First United Methodist Church in Ravenna.
Friends will be received at the Wood-Kortright-Borkoski Funeral Home, 703 E. Main St., Ravenna, on Thursday, September 5, 2019 from 5:00pm until 7:00pm where funeral services will be held at 11:00am on Friday, September 6th. Interment will follow at Grandview Memorial Park.
Condolences and memories may be shared at www.wood-kortright-borkoski.com
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