This is Gerard Daniel Patrick Duffin ("Uncle Gerry") and Caitlin Heather Johnson, 1969, University of South Florida student union (photo by Llyn French).

Gerard Daniel Patrick Duffin

Gerry was a regular at the Beaux while he and was a student at USF in the mid- to late '60s. He and Barry Simms were best friends. Gerry read poetry. I remember especially "What Have We Done to Christmas" and, most of all, Garcia Lorca's "Romance Sonambulo" but translated into English -- "Green, how I love you green..." (Translation is treason, it's SO much better in Spanish.) Gerry was part Lakota from Leavenworth, Kansas, and told one of the best jokes I've ever heard. This kid has just got a job driving a big rig and thinks he's really cool. He goes into a truck stop and asks the far-side-of-50 waitress for a Sheepherder's Special (a cup o' coffee and a piece o' ewe). Ol' Shirley replies, "Honey, I can accommodate ya on the first part, but that second part'd be like droppin' a toothpick in a mason jar. Now, what'll it be?" I think I heard some mumbling that sounded like "apple pie"....

- Llyn

IN MEMORIAM BY CLAUDE SLUDER, University of Indiana

Gerard D. Duffin, 60

Gerard “Gerry”Duffin, lecturer and assistant technical director of the Musical Arts Center, died in May 2004. From the fall of 1984 until December 2001, Duffin worked in the MAC, where he was often in charge of special effects for making things that exploded or flew. He was the special materials person, working with metal and plastic. Duffin held degrees from the University of Florida, including a degree in law. He was previously a designer and technical director at the University of Montevallo and a designer at the University of Tennessee. At IU, his activities ranged from theatre and opera to film, TV, and rock concerts.

L I N K S