Luella Duffey

Luella Jane (Kriegh) Duffey, 83, of Colby, passed from this life on September 1, 2021. Lue was born September 26, 1937, in Park, KS, the eighth of fourteen children, to Edgar and Edith (Cook) Kriegh. When Lue was two years of age, her family moved to Wallace, KS where she grew up in the native stone house originally built as the Superintendent’s Office for the Union Pacific Railroad. Lue graduated in 1956 from Wallace County High School, in Sharon Springs, KS. After graduation, she moved to Sharon Springs where she met her future husband, Harold Leon Duffey. Harold and Lue were married October 11, 1957 and she began life as a wife and farmer. They relocated to Rexford, KS and later purchased their farm near Menlo, KS where they farmed and raised livestock. Four children were born to Harold and Lue’s union. Lue continued farming after Harold’s passing, March 11, 2004. In 2012, she sold her farm and moved to Colby.

In addition to farming and homemaking, Lue grew large gardens and preserved food for her family. Lue’s favorite pastimes were dancing, sewing, sports and being with children. She was an excellent seamstress, sewing clothing for her family, square dance attire, quilts, basketball uniforms and special occasion gowns. Her love of children was shown in attending her children and grandchildren’s school programs and activities, and in hosting Easter egg hunts, Halloween parties and enjoying holidays with her family. She and Harold were members of the Golden Buckles Square Dance Club, Colby, she coordinated dances for the Colby Singles Club, was a member of the Colby United Methodist Church, and volunteered with the Menlo Community Service Group and at Citizens Medical Center. In later years, she travelled to attend quilting conventions in Paducah, KY and Houston, TX, and to be with family and friends in cities and see large bodies of water not experienced by living in KS including Los Angeles, CA, Cancun, Mexico, and a Caribbean Polka Cruise.

Lue was preceded in passing by her husband Harold; grandson Kelly Duffey; her parents; eight brothers, Delbert, Lawrence, Marvin, Junior, Max, Donnie, Ronnie, and Rex; two sisters, Edeline Fischer and Wanda Minnix; brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.

Lue is survived by her four children, Dr. Cynthia Jane Weishapl (Dan), Colby, Harold Ray Duffey, Jr. (Wynn), Colby, Denise Kay Orth (Mark), Hays, and Luetta Mae Flanagin (Jay), Colby. She is also survived by six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, Cody Duffey, Tuscaloosa, AL, Jessica Orth and children Donovan and Cora, Hays; Aaron Orth, Nashville, TN; Jared Flanagin (Taylor) and daughter Austyn, Colby; Andrew Flanagin (Jenna) and son Maddax, Colby; and Kaitlyn Benoit (Alex), Damar. Lue is also survived by three sisters, Evelyn Gaschler (Art), Longmont, CO; Joann Radiel, Salina; and Leatha Kinney (Roger), Aurora, CO, as well as by many brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews (including great and great-great).

Funeral Service is 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 7, 2021, at the Colby United Methodist Church, with a visitation from 8:30 a.m.-9:45 a.m. Burial will take place in Fairview Cemetery, Menlo. Memorials may be made to Citizens Medical Center or the Fort Wallace Museum and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information visit www.baalmannmortuary.com