Duffley, Theresa Phyllis

• Sister Theresa Duffley, SOS

Born: 3 October 1925 Golden Grove, New Brunswick; daughter of George Duffley and Ellen Cecilia Quinn; entered 7 October 1950; first vows 15 August 1953; final vows 15 August 1958; died 24 September 2012.

Born in Golden Grove, just outside of Saint John, NB, Theresa, one of four children, attended local schools of St. Vincent's Girls School and commercial course at Saint John Vocational School. Working as a stenographer, Theresa was active in the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) in her parish of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, serving as president. She became interested in the Sisters of Service after talking to Rev. Thomas Chidlow, C.Ss.R. who was preaching a renewal mission at her parish in March 1950. Seven months later at the age of 25, Theresa entered the novitiate, professing first vows in August 15, 1953 and final vows five years on August 15, both in the Novitiate chapel.

For 13 years, Sister Duffley was assigned to the community's residences, where she welcomed young women.Sister Duffley's first appointment at the Toronto residence of six months in 1953 was followed by a founding member of the residence in St. John's (1953-1956, 1960-1965); in Montreal (1956-1958); in Halifax (1958-1960); Edmonton (1965-1966) and Winnipeg (four months in 1969). During those years at the residences, she co-ordinated social and recreational activities, directed study clubs, Glee club, Legion of Mary, Christian Family Movement and taught catechetics and prepared children for the sacraments. Throughout these assignments, she also visited the sick and the elderly as well as attending catechetical programmes and night classes

Her residence appointments were interrupted when she served as a secretary at the Motherhouse (1966-1968) and returned home to Saint John to care for her dying mother and assist her father after mother's death. With the closing of most of the residences, Sister Duffley joined two other sisters in 1969 to open a teaching mission at High Level, Alberta. Although she cooked and managed the house, she also prepared a Grade 2 class for First Communion, trained altar girls and helped with music in the kindergarten class.

For the next six years (1972-1978) at the Daly Centre in Regina, she directed the revising and distributing for correspondence courses in religious education to match the theological changes since the Second Vatican Council. Returning to Halifax (1979-1984), Sister Duffley's concern and care of the sick and elderly was realized with her employment as a Red Cross homemaker after taking the required courses. Meanwhile she also continued to provide religious instruction and to volunteer to assist disabled children at Dalhousie University swimming pool. As legal guardian of a niece, she moved to Kingston, Ontario for a year while also a member of the choir at St. Joseph's church and volunteer parish visitor for St. Mary's on the Lake church.

Her skills, experience and empathy with the elderly was utilized for the retired sisters residence for retired at Niagara Manor in St. Catharines, Ontario (1985-1987) and assisting with the move to the new residence at Scarborough Court (August 1989-July 1990). Between those assignments, Sister Duffley returned to Halifax (1987-1989), volunteering as a chaplain at the Infirmary and a member of three choirs. Following a sabbatical auditing courses at Newman Theological College (1990-1991), she lived in Halifax for almost 7 years, residing at the community’s house on Cornwall Street (1991-1996, 1998-2001) and Chebucto Road (1996-1997). Her Halifax service was interrupted for a year (September 1996-September 1997) when she lived at the Motherhouse in Toronto. After the closing of the Cornwall Street house in 2001, she remained in Halifax, living in an apartment on Glebe Road until 2008. During these years, Sister Duffley was committed to serving as chaplain of the new Halifax Infirmary and as a volunteer at the main Queen Elizabeth Health Centre, where she was recognized for her service in 2003. A member of St. Patrick's parish in Halifax, she was a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the parish choir, Eucharistic minister, the parish social committee, member of the diocesan pastoral council as well as teaching Grade 2 catechism.

In 2008, she was appointed as co-ordinator of the community’s retired sisters in Toronto at LaSalle Manor until 2011. She moved to an apartment in Scarborough Court, where she lived until she died on September 24, 2012 in Scarborough General Hospital after contacting an aggressive infection. The wake service and funeral Mass were held at LaSalle Manor with Saint Johner Fr. Edward McGovern as celebrant. Her body was buried in the community plot at Mount Hope cemetery in Toronto.

Created by F Rousselle Dec 19, 2025.

Biographical sketch adapted for brevity from complete biography written by SOS congregational archivist MC Havey.