Deborah Marino-Duffy:
CLASS OF 1981
Bethel High SchoolClass of 1981
Bethel, CT
Ridgefield High SchoolClass of 1985
Ridgefield, CT
Bethel Middle SchoolClass of 1977
Bethel, CT
Seafood Harbor Elementary SchoolClass of 1974
Seaford, NY
Frank A. Berry Elementary SchoolClass of 1974
Bethel, CT
Deborah's Story
Life
After BHS, I spent a year in Sweden as an AFS intercultural exchange student in '81-'82. I still speak Swedish with some fluency, stay in touch with my swedish friends and host families and have wonderful memories of the time I spent there including traveling throughout Europe, visiting Rome and the Vatican City, learning to ski in the Swiss-Austrian Alps and experiencing a new culture through complete immersion as a student and member of a swedish family. When I got back to the States, I experienced culture shock all over again and had to readjust to speaking English and had to learn how to fit in with my friends and family again since my views on the world had expanded and changed during my year abroad. Since everyone expected me to be exactly the same only a year older, it was a difficult transition and re-acclamation.
After my return, I studied earth science/biology at WCSU for 3 1/2 years, but didn't have the chance to finish. I managed restaurants and convenience stores, including several Domino's Pizza stores and a 7-Eleven while going to school and then starting a family. I married Danbury Grad, Edward "Red" Duffy in 1986. Red and I have 3 wonderful children ...Tommy, 28 Ana, 23, and Eddie, 19 and now I've welcomed a daughter in law, son in law and 3 wonderful grandbabies. We moved to Florida in '91, the year after my Dad passed away to be close to my mom and 3 siste...Expand for more
rs (Patty passed away in 2013).
Life took on new meaning for my family and I in May 2005, when Red was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer. After chemo/radiation and Ivor Lewis surgery up at UAB (the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Dr. Robert Cerfolio being one of the best thoracic surgeons dealing with esophageal and lung cancer in the world), Red was in remission for about 5 years. In May 2010, he began battling a systemic recurrence which resurfaced as metastasis to both lungs and invading the chest wall. He was not able to return to his job as a Correctional Officer Sergeant. We faced and cherished each day as it came and were thankful for every moment we had with him. He passed away at home surrounded by friends and family on August 28th, 2011. Life for us has been changed forever. He will always be in my heart and a part of my soul.
I returned to school in 2008 and earned my BS in Visual Communications graduating magna cum laude from Westwood College in 2011. Red was able to see me do that much. I finished my Med in Instructional Design and Technology at AIU in 2013, which I promised him that I would do. I was the volunteer director of religious education and organist at Our Lady Queen of Peace, a small Catholic parish in Fountain for 20+ years. I was a substitute teacher, then media paraprofession and now am an ESE math teacher for a local public middle school.
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