RITA DUFFY

Rita Anne Duffy, 95, passed away Sunday, Aug. 13, at her home.

Rita was born July 11, 1928, in the borough of Brooklyn, Long Island, N.Y. She was the daughter of the late Peter Kraft and Adelaide Guertin Kraft. She joined the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Amityville, Long Island, as a Novice in 1945. She taught in the Catholic School system on Long Island until 1970 when she left the order and began teaching Spanish at Calhoun High School in the Bellmore-Merrick Long Island School system. She met the love her life, Ted Duffy, and they married in 1974. She, Ted, and her best friend Gerri Dunne moved to Rockbridge County in 1991 after retiring and never looked back. Rita and Ted were constant companions in life, enjoying the rural life in Rockbridge County or traveling the world and the U.S. until his death in 2000 and Gerri's death in 2008.

Along with her parents she is preceded in death by her sisters Elizabeth Switzer, Doris Emilio and Joan Finn.

She is survived by her brother Richard Kraft of Florida. She delighted in the company of, and is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandnieces and nephews, great-great-grandnieces and nephews; Duffy the cat, whom she adored, and a multitude of dear friends and former students.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Sept. 16 at St. Patrick Catholic Church followed by interment at Oak Grove Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to her favorite charities: St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Rockbridge Area Hospice and Cats Unlimited. Arrangements are being handled by Harrison Funeral Home & Crematory.