In Memory of Richard "Dick" Duffy

Richard “Dick” Duffy, age 85, of Carroll, Iowa, passed away on Friday, May 10, 2024, at the St. Anthony Regional Hospital of Carroll, Iowa.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 18, 2024, at the St. Martin Catholic Church of Odebolt, Iowa. Father Timothy Schott will officiate. Committal services will follow in the St. Martin Catholic Cemetery of Odebolt, Iowa.

A Visitation will be held one-hour prior to the service from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at the St. Martin Catholic Church of Odebolt, Iowa.

The Christensen -Van Houten Funeral Home of Odebolt, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be sent online to www.christensenvanhouten.com

Richard “Dick” Dean Duffy was born on May 9, 1939 in Odebolt, Iowa. He was the youngest of six children born to Walter and Amelia (Landgraf) Duffy. Dick grew up in Odebolt and received his education from Odebolt-Arthur High School graduating with the class of 1957. After high school, Dick attended Iowa State Teacher College graduating with a Music Education degree. He then went to the University of Michigan and graduated in 1964 with a Masters in Music.

Dick spent many years teaching middle school and high school instrumental music. There wasn’t an instrument that he couldn’t play. He started his teaching career in Urbana, Iowa, then taught in Manilla, Iowa and eventually spent 20 years in the Ankeny School District until his retirement from education in 1990. Dick then returned to his hometown of Odebolt and began running the family business, Duffy & Einspahr Insurance & Real Estate. The business was later sold to Swanson Insurance; however, Dick remained employed there until he officially retired in 2020. Shortly after his retirement, Dick relocated to Carroll, Iowa. 

Throughout his lifetime, Dick was a member of the Odebolt Rotary Club and served on the Odebolt Library Board. He had a vast amount of knowledge about the town of Odebolt and many considered him to be “Odebolt’s Historian”. Dick also had a love for new automobiles. He used to claim that he purchased 72 cars from Mark.

One of the last vacations Dick went on was returning to his alma mater, the University of Michigan, with Nancy, Patty and Kristy. He enjoyed seeing how the campus had changed and revisiting a place near and dear to him, Hill Auditorium. He very much enjoyed this trip which also included visiting Mackinac Island. 

Above all, faith and family were the most important things to Dick. He treasured time spent at family gatherings. He had a fabulous sense of humor and a contagious belly laugh. Dick was a faithful, devoted, and active member of the St. Martin Catholic Church.

Left to cherish his memory include his sister-in-law Patricia Duffy of Lincoln, NE; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. 

He was preceded in death by his parents Walter and Amelia Duffy; brother Walter Duffy; sisters Patricia (Edward) Smith, Joan (Dale) Einspahr, Phyllis (Donald) Gardner, and Elizabeth (Robert) Hansen; nephews Timothy and Michael Gardner; great nephews Jeffrey Gardner and Scott Barnes; and great niece Delaney Goodner.