Patricia Ann Duffy

Patricia Ann (LaVelle) Duffy, 90, of Brooklyn Park, Minn., formerly of Sioux City, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 10, 2016.

 A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 20, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church with Father Daniel Rupp as Celebrant. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. Monday with a rosary recited at 9:00 A.M. by the St. Therese Study Club, Trinity Heights and the Carmelite Board at the Church. Private family interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery.  

Patricia (or Patty as some remember her) was born on May 23, 1926, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Vivian and Gertrude (Ivis) LaVelle. The family later moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa, where she graduated from Sacred Heart Grade School and Sacred Heart High School. She attended Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, and then worked in Washington, D.C., and Des Moines as a secretary. She married James Michael Duffy on Nov. 23, 1950, at Sacred Heart Church in Fort Dodge. They were married for 64 years. Patty and Jim moved to Sioux City, where Jim established an architectural/structural engineering firm. Patty worked as her husband’s office manager and secretary while raising six children, who all attended Blessed Sacrament Grade School and Bishop Heelan High School.

Patricia held many officer positions for various civic organizations. Among them are Briar Cliff Alumni, St. Therese Study Club, Confraternity of Blessed Sacrament Parish, the Carmelite Guild, and Joan of Arc Circle. She was a member of the golf and tennis leagues at the Sioux City Country Club. She was also involved in many bridge clubs, civic and church organizations as well as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Luke’s Hospital. Pat and Jim were active members of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church for over 40 years. They were special friends to the Carmelite Monastery in Sioux City. They were also on the original planning committee for the Queen of Peace Shrine in Sioux City and were instrumental in its development.


The couple moved to St. Therese at Oxbow Lake, Brooklyn Park, Minn., in 2006. Many residents of St. Therese attribute their new-found friendships and active involvement to Pat Duffy’s organizational and social skills, making new residents feel welcome and involved in the community. Pat was a loving wife, proud mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and a dear friend to many.

Patty is survived by her six children, John (Marcia) of Maple Grove, Minn., Peggy (Kim) Lorenzen of Saratoga, Wyo., Michael (Brenda) of Gig Harbor, Wash., Marianne (Tom) Petron of Minnetonka, Minn., Patrick of St. Francis, Minn., and Dan (Eileen) of Minnetonka, Minn.; 11 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers, Casey (Connie) LaVelle of Falls Church, Va., and Jim (Sheila) LaVelle of Gilmore City, Iowa; and in-laws, Leo and Marilyn Duffy of Des Moines, Iowa, Carole Duffy of Port Hueneme, Calif., and Dick McSweeney of Hampton, Iowa.

Patty was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jim; sister and brother-in-law, Terry and Bob Cranny; sister, Janet McSweeney, brother and sister-in-law, John and Helen LaVelle; brother, Edward LaVelle; sister-in-law, Mary Lou Droegemeuller; and brother-in-law, Jack Duffy.

The family is grateful to our special cousin, Sr. Susan Ivis, with her expert nursing and Hospice experience, in providing some extra love and care for our mom in her final days.

Memorials may be sent to St. Therese at Oxbow Lake, Brooklyn Park, Minn., or Queen of Peace and Carmelite Monastery in Sioux City.