Virgil Harold Duffell

VIRGIL HAROLD DUFFELL

Virgil Harold Duffell, aka, Virgil Harrell Duffell passed away on April 6, 2018.  Virgil was born on a kitchen table in Opp, Alabama to Stella Mae Mock Duffell and Andrew Jackson "A.J." Duffell on December 2, 1934.  Virgil enjoyed his life on earth and cherished the opportunity to grow from challenges as much as experience success.  His life message was "God is love" and "everybody is special".   

Virgil was very driven to help those around him from a very early age and this passion continued until the end of his life.  He started his service to others at the age of 5 by delivering milk to help his mom make ends meet.  Virgil was proud of his graduation from Desoto high school in 1953, his service in the Army as a paratrooper in Hawaii, his time as an elementary school teacher and principal in Sanford, Florida and Fairfax County, Virginia.  In 1990, Virgil moved from Fairfax, Virginia to Lynn Haven, FL to be closer to his sister Betty.  Virgil loved his time in Lynn Haven and was extremely active as a volunteer with The National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mental Health of America, and the Bay County NAACP.   Virgil accomplished this as an unashamed manic depressive.  He wanted to help young people overcome the stigmatism of mental illness and for all people to achieve understanding, compassion and acceptance of those with mental illness. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother John Calvin "Duffy" Duffell, and sister Betty J. Duffell Wilson Sapp. 

Virgil is survived by his children Jennifer A. Duffell-Hoffman,  Christopher Duffell, their spouses Robert L. Duffell-Hoffman and Amy Kilburn Duffell and seven grandchildren, Michael, Matthew, Andrew, Charles, Samuel, William, and Elizabeth Grace as well his former wife Ann Kennedy Duffell and numerous devoted family and friends.

A celebration of Virgil’s life will be held at 3PM Sunday, April 8, 2018 at the Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Dr. Rufus Wood officiating. The family will receive friends at the chapel from 2:00PM until service time at 3:00.In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to either the National Alliance on Mental Illness, P. O. Box 10642, Panama City, FL 32404; www.nami.org; a favorite charity; or simply share a kindness with someone.

Kent-Forest Lawn, 2403 Harrison Avenue, 763-4694www.kentforestlawn.com   
 

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