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In the mid-80’s, George became district superintendent of the Methodist Church in SC. He set up a Residency Program for new ministers, what several as his lasting contribution. lStill in place today, it was patterned on the residencies for medical doctors. Veteran ministers provided mentoring and there were settings where young ministers could talk about the challenges and isolation they faced, often in rural communities.

George and Mary Duffie.

Throughout his career in SC, George, Mary and their children traveled to Oriental during their vacations. Luther Duffie and his sister, Alyson remember the trips here — packing one boat, then a bicycle and another boat on the top of the family car. As in George’s youth, it was to visit family; by the 1970’s, George’s parents had moved to Oriental. (His mother drowned in the river while fishing during a nor’easter in 1975.)

George retired in the late 1990’s, and about a decade ago, he and Mary decided to make Oriental their home for good. They got involved with SCOO, the Sailing Club of Oriental. He volunteered at Oriental’s History Museum, in particular tracking the history of his uncle, Lewis Bracy Midyette who was killed in action during WWII.

George Duffie at Oriental’s South Avenue waterfront, August 2009, surveying the jumping fish in the early morning. Ken Pitts says he’ll remember his friend as “the fellow who rode his old yellow bicycle all over town in his jeans and ball cap. This man was humble and yet self-assured and he was armed with a dry sense of humor that would so suddenly be offered that it would take you by surprise.”

Though he was now an officially retired minister, living in Oriental, fishing and riding his yellow bike around town, George Duffie occasionally officiated at a service.

He performed weddings — memorably, one on the Minnesott-Cherry Branch ferry in 2003. A few years later he helped Kathy Kellam and John Griffin tie the knot.

“I loved George. He married us as the Oriental Yacht Club” Kathy wrote the other day. “Mary and he were so gracious and happy for our little ceremony. I’ll never forget how he told us before we started to ‘hold tight to those rings’ because no one wanted to call the diver if they fell through the dock planks.”

Reverend George Duffie, April 2010, officiating at Caroline and Gary Ramsey’s wedding. (Photo: Caroline Ramsey)

George performed Caroline and Gary Ramsey’s wedding last April. “I babysat for his children when I was a teenager in the 1960’,” she said. “George was gentle, compassionate, and supportive. He never failed to express joy to see us when we crossed paths. George touched our souls deeply.”

Donna Mannion recalls George once preaching after a hurricane and cautioning that “we should never say how lucky we are or how grateful we are to have come through it okay, because our neighbors possibly didn’t.”

The view from one of George Duffie’s favorite fishing spots, at the far end of Lou Mac Park. His funeral was held in the park on Wednesday.

Ben Casey says he remembers that the few times he heard George preach. “he spoke with emphasis…but without ever raising his voice or shouting.” And, says Ben, he put the simple pause to great use and made Biblical stories contemporary.

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Posted Saturday June 25, 2011 by Melinda Penkava