Duff, Richard Austin "Dick" 1921-2006
DUFF, HUMMEL, BLAIR, ANDERSON
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 8/24/2012 at 16:24:28
Richard A. “Dick” Duff, age 85 of Decorah, Iowa, died Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at the Ossian Senior Hospice in Ossian, Iowa, following a long illness.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, October 16, 2006 at First United Methodist Church in Decorah by Rev. Carol A. Kress. Burial with Full Military Honors will be in Phelps Cemetery in Decorah.
Friends may call from 4:00-7:00 P.M. Sunday, October 15, 2006 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah, where there will be a Masonic Memorial Service at 6:30 P.M. Friends may also call an hour prior to the services on Monday at the church.
Richard Austin “Dick” Duff was born January 29, 1921 near Freeport, Iowa, the son of Nels and Hazel (Hummel) Duff. He was educated in Winneshiek County Country Schools.
He was united in marriage to Lola M. Blair on April 7, 1945 in Vernon, Texas. This union was blessed with three children: Dale, Larry and Sue.
Richard was the owner and operator of RJ Duff Co. in Decorah, a business he operated first with his brother John and later with his brother Lester “Bud”. Over the years, he repaired all kinds of vehicles. The business closed in the early 1980’s and Dick converted the building into apartments.
Dick continued to offer repair service at his rural Decorah home and also pursued his passion of restoring antique vehicles. He loved older cars, especially Model “A” and Model “T” Fords. He drove his restored treasures in numerous parades around the area and was the recipient of numerous awards and trophies.
He was a World War II Army Air Corps Veteran, inducted on August 13, 1942 and serving until his Honorable Discharge on February 5, 1946. During his 3 years, four months and 23 days of service, Dick worked as an aircraft mechanic and earned the American Theater Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
His memberships included First United Methodist Church; Helof Holm V.F.W. Post No. 1977; D.A.V. Hamre-Giesen Chapter No. 8; and Great Lights Masonic Lodge # 181, all of Decorah.
Dick became a resident of the Ossian Senior Hospice on April 19, 2004. He died at the hospice on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 following a long illness at the age of 85 years.
Survivors include his wife of over 61 years, Lola of rural Decorah; a daughter, Sue (Bruce) Anderson of Decorah; a son, Larry (Laurie) Duff of Waterloo, IA; five grandchildren, Cory, Justin, Nikala, Wyatt and Luke; and three brothers, Lester “Bud” Duff of Decorah, IA, John (Lois) Duff of Alva, FL and George (Mary Jane) Duff of Lehigh Acres, FL.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Dale Wayne Duff in 1965; three sisters, Dorothy, Sara and Doris and three brothers, Frank Duff, killed in action during World War II, and two brothers who died in infancy.
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
Phelps Cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
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