Obituary of Mary Beth McDuffee

Mary Beth McDuffee, former resident of State Highway 30A, Glen, NY, died August 21, 2005 at Nathan Littauer Nursing Home after a long battle with Alzheimer?s Disease. She was a resident of The Harbor in Clifton Park, NY for the past year. Born December 5, 1922 in Hagerstown, Maryland, she was the daughter of the late Earl and Cora Strite Troup. She was the oldest of 3 girls on a farm owned and operated by her father and mother. She graduated as the Salutatorian from Hagerstown High School in 1940. She was a graduate of Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA in 1944 and received a Master of Arts from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD in 1945. Prior to her teaching career, she was a Training Supervisor at L. Bamberger & Co. in Newark, NJ and Personnel Manager at Burdine?s Department Stores in North Miami and Miami Beach, FL. She taught English for five years at Stout State University in Menomonie, WI. Upon relocating to the Northeast she taught English at Schenectady County Community College in Schenectady, NY in 1969, the year the college opened. She retired in 1993 as Professor of English. At the time of her marriage on February 5, 1952 to Rev. Frank B. McDuffee they resided in North Miami, where Rev. McDuffee was the pastor of the North Miami Congregational Church. Rev. Frank McDuffee died November 23, 1970. Mrs. McDuffee is survived by her daughter, Ann Griffith and her husband, Andrew, of Fonda; granddaughter, Kristen DiPiazza and her husband, Joseph, of Latham; grandson, Kyle Jennings of Phoenix, AZ; sisters, Joanne Bates of Newport News, VA and Christine McAdams of Hagerstown, MD; 5 nieces; 2 nephews and several great-nephews and great-nieces. She was a member of the Glen Reformed Church since 1969. Mrs. McDuffee loved spending time with her family and friends and loved teaching. She enjoyed reading, writing and traveling, especially to England. Funeral services will be private and will be held at the convenience of the family at the Jackson & Betz Funeral Home, 15 Main Street, Fultonville, NY with the Reverend Christopher J. DeGraaf officiating. Burial will take place at the Christian Church Cemetery in Charleston Four Corners. Calling hours are private. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Mrs. McDuffee?s memory to the Alzheimer?s Association of NY, 85 Watervliet Avenue, Albany, NY 12208.