Barbara Nettleton Duffy, 92, died peacefully Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at home in Cambridge, NY.
Barbara was born the second of three children to the late Catherine (DeBarber) and Clarence Nettleton in Fulton, NY. She graduated from SUNY Cortland, where she had pursued her passion for teaching, sports, and recreation. On July 27, 1953, she married H. Joseph Duffy of Amenia. In 1954 the Duffy’s moved to Pawling and purchased their lifetime family home at 77 East Main Street. Raising their family in Pawling, Barbara was an active community member and beloved Physical Education teacher at the Pawling Elementary School until her retirement in 1987. Over the course of her career, Barbara became an expert in Gesell’s Maturation Theory of development and an advocate who helped provide many young students a successful pathway into school. In 1990 Barb was elected to serve on the Pawling Board of Education. Following her career in education, Barb and Joe would often be seen heading to church or on their daily walk about town. She was a past member of St. John’s parish and a member of the Catholic Daughters (in both St. John’s of Pawling and St. Clement’s in Saratoga Springs). She also served for many years as a volunteer for the Pawling Resource Center.
Barbara is survived by her son David (Jan) Duffy of Gloucester, MA and daughter Colleen (Tony) McDonald of Cambridge, NY; six grandchildren, Brian and Sean Duffy, and Jennifer (Duffy) Pereira, and Joseph, Killian, and Bridget McDonald (Hunter); three great-granddaughters, Aili Lane and Lila Pereira and Elowen Hunter; and many nieces and nephews.
Barbara was predeceased by her brother Lawrence Nettleton in 1984; her sister, Paula (Nettleton) Fredenberg in 2011; and her beloved husband H. Joseph Duffy in 2017.
Family and friends may pay their respects on Friday, January 5th from 4-7 PM at the Horn & Thomes, Inc. Funeral Home, 83 East Main Street, Pawling. The Catholic Daughters will conduct a service at 4:30 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, January 6th at 11 AM at St. John’s Church, 39 East Main Street, Pawling with burial following in Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Amenia.
