Obituary of Dennis Richard Duff

​Dennis (Denny) Richard Duff, age 82 of Duluth, MN, passed away while in his home on October 25th. Denny was born on June 26th, 1938, in Duluth, Minnesota in the Lakeside neighborhood, where he resided most of his life. He was the third of four children born to Lyonal and Hazel Duff.

As an avid outdoorsman in his younger days, Denny loved to hunt, fish, and canoe. He was always interested in the abstract, and could recite passages from Through the Looking Glass and the like from memory. He worked in a number of different fields starting with a clerk at Heinans’s Lakeside Hardware, then a metal worker for Sell. His interest in psychology led him to a stint working as a tech at Moose Lake State Hospital. He retired from MNDoT after 25 years of inspection, survey and mapping.

He was always enthusiastic to tell stories of the adventures he had in his life, whether you’d already heard them before or not. He was a skilled photographer, handyman, and loved crossword puzzles.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Mary; daughter Karie (Matthew) Shubitz; granddaughter, Riley; siblings Donna Lenfest; and Jeanine (Howard) Towle; stepsister Colleen Szidon; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; stepmother, Alice Duff; and brother, Keith Duff.

A service will be scheduled for a later date. Anyone wishing to honor Denny with a memorial, please donate to the Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society or a charity or organization of your choice.