James B. "Jim" Duffy

James B. "Jim" Duffy, age 68, of Savanna, Illinois, died Monday, September 18, 2006 at the University of Iowa Hospitals, Iowa City, Iowa. A Funeral Mass will be held 10:00 a.m. Thursday, September 21 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Savanna, with Father Moises Apostol as Celebrant. Burial will be in St. John Catholic Cemetery, Savanna. Visitation will be held from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 20 at Law-Jones Funeral Home, Savanna. Memorials may be given in Jim’s name for the Savanna Ambulance Association.
Jim was born October 27, 1937 in Cascade, Iowa, the son of Bernard and Bernadine (Honnerbaum) Duffy. He is a graduate of the Hanover High School with the Class of 1955. Jim served in the United States Army from 1956 to 1958 in Korea. He married Harlene (Secoy) Garcia December 2, 1966 in Princeton, Illinois.
Jim worked as a construction laborer until 1967. He then joined the Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ Local 587. In 1984, Jim became the Business Agent of Local 587. After a merger, Jim retired in 1996 from Local 11, Area 587.
Jim was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Savanna, Knights of Columbus, lifetime member of VFW Post 2223, Savanna, where he was proud to serve on the Honor Guard. He also was a member of the Disabled Veterans of America Chapter 11, Yuma, Arizona, the Savanna Moose Lodge and Fraternal Order of Eagles, Clinton, Iowa.
Jim enjoyed gardening, playing cards, cooking, canning, golf, traveling, socializing with friends, and enjoyed 10 winters in Yuma, Arizona.
He will be dearly missed by his wife, Harlene Duffy of Savanna; a son, Michael (Joanne) Garcia of Elmhurst, Illinois; a daughter, Kathleen (Gale) Groves of Yuma, Arizona; two grandchildren, Alexandra Rose and Andrew Michael Garcia; a brother in-law, Bill Thulen of Savanna; two nieces; two nephews; and five great nieces and nephews. Jim is preceded in death by both parents; two brothers, Merlin “Pat” Duffy and Robert “Butch” Duffy; and a sister, Josephine Thulen.