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.
Burials 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