Anna Marie Duran

Anna Marie (Amy) Defino Duran

Amy Duran, 97, passed away November 12, 2022, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.  She was born in Braddock, Pennsylvania on March 24, 1925, to the late Frank and Rose (Varuolo) Defino.  Amy was the eldest of 5 children and, at the age of 18, played a vital role in raising her siblings along with her father when her mother passed away at age 41.  During World War II, Amy worked in administrative roles for the Navy Department and Veterans Administration.  After the war, she married Edward Matthew Duran, her loving spouse for 67 years, until his death in 2014.  Amy was a devoted mother to her four children and after 20 years of child rearing, decided to rejoin the workforce.  Amy was a valued, trusted employee everywhere she worked including the University of Pittsburgh and Jacksonville University.  She was smart, a go-getter and, along with Ed, instilled in her children a strong work ethic and dedication to strive for excellence.  Amy had many, many friends who loved her for the genuine interest she had in everyone she met, her fun and easy nature, her generous and energetic spirit, and her quiet competitiveness… especially at the bridge table.  Amy enjoyed entertaining, (she was a fabulous cook), bridge, playing the piano, watching the Pittsburgh Pirates and golf.  Her greatest love, however, was her family.  Nothing gave Amy more pleasure than being with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.  They each held a special place in her heart, and until the very end, her greatest joy was their visits or hearing about their latest adventures and accomplishments. Amy is survived by sons John (Kathy) of Export, Pa., Paul (Debbi) of Ponte Vedra, Fl., Ed (Laura) of Jacksonville, Fl.  and daughter Roseann of Ponte Vedra Beach Fl; grandchildren Gregory (Emily), Andy (Lisa), LeAna Kimball (Jake), Matthew (Melissa), Kimberly Lowman (Chad), Patrick (Erika), Joseph (Lani) and Elena; and great-grandchildren Canaan, Bella, Emma Grace, Kylee, Isabelle, Madelyn, Elsie, Berkeley, Anna and Josephine.

 A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:30pm on Thursday, December 1^st at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl with Reverend John Tetlow as Celebrant.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Duran Genetics Center, Wolfson Children’s Hospital, 800 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, Florida 32207.