For those fortunate to make her acquaintance, Denise (“D”) Duffy, née Stewart, would be the kindest, most thoughtful person they would ever know. Born in Brooklyn, NY on June 6, 1957, the 13^th anniversary of aptly named D-Day, she exuded grace and beauty. Principled and empathetic, bright and illuminating, she lived her life in a way that spread calm and joy. D was a beloved wife, daughter, sister-in-law, aunt, godmother, patient, and friend.

The oldest child of Pat and Mary Stewart, D cherished lifelong and nurturing bonds with her sister, Tara; her brother, Patrick, and his wife, Patricia; her extended family; and friends. Raised in Rosedale NY, the family summered at their modest but cozy Breezy Point, Roxbury bungalow in the mostly Irish enclave created by WWI veterans in the Rockaways. Of note, in the 60s, D was twice crowned Little Ms. Roxbury, a feat rarely achieved by that “under 8” crowd.

Smart, curious, and an excellent swimmer, D thrived at The Mary Lewis Academy, a rigorous college preparatory school for girls, and she later studied at the State University of New York at Binghamton, earning a degree in accounting. She moonlighted as a campus switchboard operator at a time when there was still a need for mellifluous voices to do such helpful things.

Upon graduation from college, D was promptly hired by iconic Cunard Line, LTD in their New York City offices. She met her future husband, Michael Duffy, in West Point, NY in 1978. The night they met, she told her friend, “You know that guy I met … I think I’m going to marry him.” She did, in 1980, and the lifelong soulmates would spend their next 45 years together, managing their careers and traversing the globe, moving more than 25 times … experiencing approximately 120 countries and making friends in every port. They found joy and delight wherever life took them, including throughout their 12-plus year journey navigating numerous health challenges alongside MD Anderson’s team of unparalleled cancer specialists. When access to D’s essential therapeutic was disrupted in the US, they secured treatment in Barcelona, Spain—the only place it was then available—observing afterwards that if all such treatments were similarly joyful, more people might welcome the challenge.

D had a successful business career, even while accommodating Michael’s military duty assignments worldwide. After returning to the US from Germany in 1983, VVKR engineers and architects in Alexandria, Virginia, hired D as their controller. In her spare time, she studied for and then passed the rigorous CPA exam in a single sitting. In 1988, when the couple moved to Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, NY, D was immediately hired as the controller at Flack + Kurtz engineers and then hired as the Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) at Beyer Blinder Belle (“BBB”), both in NYC. She served almost 30 years as the CFO at BBB—including a span of internationally “remote” work in Spain during Mike’s post-military career—until her retirement in 2018.

Throughout her life, D made a daily habit of doing thoughtful and helpful things for others. She was a trusted and reliable business leader. In retirement, D served on MD Anderson’s Patient Family Advisory Program Board and its Ethics Advisory Board, advocating for others—even (and especially) while a patient herself. She supported clubs and organizations with accountancy and sage counsel for much of her life. She pampered guests. She never forgot a birthday, holiday, or anniversary. She exuded happiness and beauty.

Resilient and possessed of a joyfully, infectious laugh, D appreciated every kindness, care, and courtesy extended by others, no matter how small. D lived her life courageously and fully, never bowing even to the gravest of tests, and always supporting others. Deeply grateful and devoid of self-pity, D’s irrepressible happiness continued unabated during years of recovery and rehabilitation, including through the morning of her unexpected, but gentle, midday passing on June 27, 2025. She leaves us brightened by her delight, goodness, and quiet tenacity; and sustained by our loving memories of her.

D asks that you hug those you love as often as possible. For those so inclined, D encourages any memorial donations in her name be made to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas—a place whose initials she felt to be a nod to the “Miracles Daily” which happen there. Contributions may be directed, if desired, to support the work of Dr. Carlos Kamiya Matsuoka, Dr. Franco DeMonte, and Dr. Matthew Hanasono, whose incomparable medical care sustained Denise with us for more than a decade. Donations can be mailed to The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486, or made online at mdanderson.org/gifts. To ensure gifts are directed appropriately, please select “Choose where my donation will go,” then choose “Other” and type in the name(s) of the physician(s) you wish to support. We will celebrate Denise’s life in the fall at West Point and place her ashes at the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.