Noreen Mary Duff

Noreen Mary DUFFBeloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and warm friend to all passed away suddenly Monday, August 1st in Seattle. Noreen was a gracious and loving presence to all those who knew her, a woman whose family was the center of her heart. Her faith, strength and incredible positive attitude are an inspiration to us all.Noreen grew up on a farm in a small town named Bunyip, Australia. Her family owned 200 acres of land where they grew crops, as well as raised cows and maintained a flourishing dairy farm. After graduating from high school, Noreen moved to the city of Melbourne where she started her career as a seamstress and eventually met her future husband, James Lee Duff.James Lee Duff was born and raised in Seattle, WA. He joined the National Guards at the tender age of twenty and was sent to Melbourne, Australia for training after the bombing of Pearl Harbor during WWII. James and Noreen met during his furlough and she said she was immediately attracted to his kindness, handsomeness and gentlemanly ways. Their courtship was primarily through letters, as well as his marriage proposal and her acceptance! She traveled for twenty-one days by ship on the Phoenix Missouri II to get from Australia to America.They went on to have seven children, 14 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren together and created a family home filled with love, joy and fun. It is a true testament to their love that their children all stayed in the general area and continue to be friends as well as siblings. We are forever thankful for the love she gave us and that she is now at peace in heaven.Recitation of the Rosary will be at 10:00 AM followed by the Funeral Mass at 10:30 AM Tuesday, August 16th, BOTH atBlessed Sacrament Church5041 9th Ave N, Seattle 98105Interment, Holyrood CemeteryHoffner Fisher & HarveyGuest book at harveyfuneral.com