Gloria (Brooke) Duffy

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, opened Heaven’s Gates to our mother, Gloria Yvonne Duffy, on the morning of March 14, 2022.  Gloria was residing at the Comforts of Home Assisted Living when she passed from congestive heart failure. 

Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday, March 18, 2022, at 11 a.m. at St. Bridget Catholic Church (211 E Division St) in River Falls.  Lunch will be served following the mass.

Visitation will be on Friday, at the church, from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. prior to the service.

Burial will be in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Spring Valley.

Gloria was born to Arthur and Severina ‘Marie’ (Ray) Brooke on November 8th, 1927.  She was the 7th of 11 children born to this pioneering family of Spring Valley, WI. Her parents and siblings Walter, Adeline (Langer), Colburn ‘Cub’, Byron, Eunice (Dahms); John ‘Sonny’, Ada (Hughes); Robert ‘Bob’, Richard ‘Dick’, and Dale have all preceded her in death. 

 She met our father, Lawrence Duffy, in Spring Valley. They were married on August 29, 1947. She and Larry owned an A&W restaurant in Tucumcari, New Mexico before moving back to Spring Valley and Ellsworth, WI.  Larry passed away in 1988 and Gloria continued with her job as a bookkeeper and store clerk for the Ben Franklin Store in Ellsworth.  Upon her retirement, she moved to River Falls, WI.

She enjoyed playing cards, reading, making the occasional trips to Treasure Island with her sister, Eunice Dahms, attending church at St. Bridget’s in River Falls, and she seldom missed an episode of Wheel of Fortune.  Gloria was also a member of DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution).  Upon learning of her eligibility for membership in DAR, she remarked “Dad always told me we [the Brooke Family] had been here for a long time, I didn’t know it was that long ago!”  Her apartment was often very busy with visits from friends, nieces and nephews, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.  There were always treats, coffee, and coca cola.

Her passing leaves an emptiness in our hearts but we have the blessed assurance of seeing her again and sharing in the eternal life that Jesus Christ offers us.  Her love and family stories will stay in our hearts.  She is survived by her children, Patricia Duffy of Fridley, MN; Gayle (Charles) Nelson of Ellsworth, WI; Julie (Michael) Daly of Northfield, MN; Mike (Allison) Duffy of Three Forks, MT; Tom (Cheryl) Duffy of Ellsworth, WI; Jim (Susan) Duffy of New Richmond, WI.   She is survived by several grandchildren, Joleen Gutting, Jennifer Duglin; Larry Nelson; Shad Christenson; Nick and Brad Duffy; Nathan Duffy; Marissa Jourbert and Will Daly.  One grandchild preceded her in death, Sara Christenson of Montana.  Pictures of her great and great great grandchildren filled her apartment.

A very special thank you to all the staff at Comforts of Home-The Falls in River Falls and St. Croix Hospice for their support, patience and loving care.  

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