Daniel Joseph Duffy

Daniel Joseph Duffy passed away in his sleep on June 18, 2025 at the age of 101. He is survived by his wife Kikuko (Yamabe) Duffy and their son Akio Duffy; four children from a previous marriage (Janet Cameron Duffy) David Duffy (Maria), Robin Jackson (Roy), Jonathan Duffy (Jamie) and Anne Duffy (Jeff Dowen); six grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, and beloved nieces and nephews. His brother Frances Duffy predeceased him in 2020.

Dan was a New Yorker. He was born in Manhattan on April 30, 1924; grew up in Astoria, Queens; attended Stuyvesant High School, Columbia University (BS), and NYU (PhD). He raised a family on the Upper West Side, with summers in the mountains of West Park, New York where the city boy taught his children to love nature. Dan spent most of his career as a college professor. He was an avid reader and always had a book at hand. Friendly and outgoing, he liked to travel and meet new people. He was a wonderful storyteller, fueled by a life rich with experiences preserved by a stellar memory. He retained interesting facts about the city and many other places and people, which he shared with his family. An adventurer at heart, Dan could always find something fun to do and led family members on outings to museums, parks, historical or architectural places of interest, movies or live performances. Even a trip to the local bookstore or library was an adventure with Dan. He possessed a rich sense of humor and enjoyed making people laugh. He spent his retirement in Baltimore, Maryland and Irvine, California, volunteering in his free time.

Wherever Dan lived, he was an active member of the Quaker meeting.The story of how and why he joined the Religious Society of Friends began in 1945 when he was a newly commissioned ensign aboard the USS New Jersey before the planned invasion of Japan. He had been chosen and trained to be a forward gunnery liaison in order to go ashore with the first wave of marines, providing protection. The life expectancy was to be about 15 minutes. On August 6th, 80 years ago, the atomic was dropped on Hiroshima. Although he was spared, his life changed when he arrived in Japan two months later and witnessed the horrific aftermath. He became a committed pacifist and convinced Quaker, joining the Fifteenth St. Meeting when he returned home to New York. Peace be with him.