Edward Duff, 88, electrical contractor

Edward Joseph Duff, 88, of Huntingdon Valley, an electrical contractor who was one of 11 children and the father of 12, died Sunday, Feb. 28, of congestive heart failure at his home.

Born in Philadelphia, he was child of Irish immigrants Daniel and Bridget McEnroe Duff.

At age 12, after losing both parents to illness, Mr. Duff worked to support his brothers and sisters, delivering milk, bread and newspapers in the mornings before going to Seven Dolors School.

Mr. Duff accumulated enough credits to graduate early from North Catholic High School. He enlisted in the Navy and left for boot camp, returning to receive his diploma in 1946 in his Navy uniform. He served aboard the Taconic as an electronics technician.

He and Nancy Geppert grew up on the same block. They began dating at a high school prom and married in 1949. They had 12 children over 15 years.

Mr. Duff worked as a lineman for the Philadelphia Electric Co. starting in 1949. Nine years later, he and fellow Peco foreman Harold "Hap" Carr founded Carr & Duff, an electrical contracting firm in Huntingdon Valley that grew from one line truck into a major area contractor.

Mr. Duff's private life was built on the bedrock of his Catholic faith. He rarely missed Mass, attending even while aboard ship with the Navy.

In 2012, he received the John J. Ferreck Award from the Malvern Retreat House in recognition of his service as a recruiter and leader at the largest Catholic retreat house in the country. Last year, he was honored for attending 75 consecutive years of weekend retreats there with the Holy Family Group.

He also had a fascination with fire trucks, and drove his vintage 1951 Ward LaFrance pumper truck in parades through Wyndmoor, Glenside, and Hatboro.

In person, "he was very outgoing, always telling jokes," said daughter Patricia Markham. "He was a character."

Besides his wife of 66 years and daughter, he is survived by children Anne Hamme, Robert, Edward, John, Sharon Nelling, Colleen Lapkiewicz, Noreen McDonnell, and Kathleen McSorley; 34 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. Children Edward J. Jr., James, and Mary Katherine died earlier.

A viewing will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 4, at Our Lady Help of Christians Church, 1500 Marian Rd., Abington, followed by a 1 p.m. Funeral Mass on Saturday, March 5, at the church. Interment will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

Contributions may be made to Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, Box 766, Mishawaka, Ind. 46546.

bcook@phillynews.com

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