Norman Russell Duffy

Musician and retired owner of Duffy's Business Machines, Norman Duffy, passed away at the age of 86, after succumbing to late stage Covid. His battle with serious medical issues in recent years showed his courage in facing life's challenges.
Born in Detroit, Michigan to Edward Murray Duffy and Billie Duffy, he grew up eldest of three on a farm in Milford, MI. He is survived by his two siblings: E. James Duffy and Patricia Lynne (Duffy) Smiley. His first real job as a laborer was for Milford Township under JD Caswell doing the rigorous physical and unsavory job of septic and sewer system clean out or "honey-dipping" as his dad called it. He also studied piano, much to the delight of his father. His natural talents served him well. He got his first job playing the piano at Coral Gables in East Lansing. Undertaking a career in the milking business, he continued playing piano until 2 AM and then went home and milked 32 cows daily at 6 AM and 6 PM before going back to play piano that evening. He was a hard worker and continued to work two jobs for much of his life.
Norm attended and graduated from Hartland High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University. During college he earned money playing piano at the Canopy in Brighton and also often played for free at his fraternity, Delta Upsilon. Soon he was known throughout several counties for his ability to lead singalongs on the piano. The Rathskeller at Coral Gables in Saugatuk, KFalls, Duffy's, Red Nose Tavern, Sonny's, and Appeteaser, were some of his long-standing gigs. Often working without a break, Norm always entertained the crowd and could play a song after only hearing a few of the notes hummed by a patron. He could carry on a conversation while playing and made it look easy, but it was work. He drew much satisfaction from providing entertainment, and did it like no other.
Norm had a love for new technology and an innate knack for understanding and fixing small machinery, electronics and electrical systems. Self-taught, this skill helped him in his business of machine and typewriter repair and later to expand his services to installing telephone systems at a time when only the telephone companies had been providing the service. He often took his kids on service calls and as they grew older his sons would work with him from time to time.
He is survived by eight loving children: Kristen (Duffy) Smith (Brian Smith), Mary Duffy, Dr. Daniel Duffy (DeeAnn Duffy), Norman Duffy, and Ryan Duffy (Becky Duffy) and eighteen grandchildren: Lucas Smith, Emily Smith, Samuel Smith, Elijah Smith, Adrianna Smith, Diego Villafuerte, Mia Villafuerte, Alice Duffy, Jackson Duffy, Jason Sulen (Kylie Sulen), Keith Sulen, Nicklas Sulen, McKenna Duffy, Naomi Duffy, Kayla Duffy, and Cassidy Duffy, as well as his two dogs: Charlie and Lila, who will now be permanently staying with Norm Duffy Jr.
Please feel free to visit and leave a comment and any photos either on the memorial page at "Legacy.com" or on the Facebook group: "I Remember That In Milford, Michigan."