[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 143 (Tuesday, September 2, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CELEBRATING RAYMOND ``RAY'' DUFFY'S 100TH BIRTHDAY

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                        HON. WILLIAM R. KEATING

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 2, 2025

  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Raymond ``Ray'' 
Duffy as he celebrates his 100th birthday.
  Born on August 16, 1925, to parents R. Francis and Marie Duffy, Ray 
was raised in Boston, Massachusetts, alongside his brother, Bob. Ray 
and his family spent their summers in Rocky Nook, a neighborhood in the 
coastal Town of Kingston, where Ray enjoyed digging clams. When he was 
12, Ray started rowing his dingy down the Jones River to work with 
George Shiverick and help George build his award-winning ships.
  At the age of only 16, Ray graduated at the top of his class from the 
Boston Latin School in 1941. Ray then began studying at the 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology to pursue his dream of becoming a 
naval architect. He paid for his first year by digging clams at Rocky 
Nook over the summer.
  In the spring of 1942, Ray enlisted in the United States Navy after 
being assured that he could finish the school year at MIT. However, he 
received a telegram two days later with instructions to report for 
training. During his years of service, Ray received a Bachelor of 
Science in mechanical engineering from Cornell University as part of 
the Navy's V12 program and served as an ensign on the USS Randall in 
San Francisco.
  Following his service in the Navy, Ray returned home to Boston, where 
he met his wife Martina ``Marty'' at a dance. The couple was married on 
June 26, 1948, and in 1952, they purchased a plot of land in South 
Weymouth where they would build a home and raise their five children. 
Over the years, Ray built a successful career as a sales engineer and 
later as Vice President of Sales for the Tubular Rivet and Stud 
Company, before he founded his own company, RF Duffy Associates Inc. 
Duffy Associates grew into a larger and diverse business that included 
Duffy International, an electronics distribution company.
  Known affectionately as the ``Admiral'' by his family, Ray continued 
to spend his summers in Rocky Nook after he and Marty purchased his 
parents' home. Throughout the years, Ray took his family on legendary 
sailing and boating trips and became an avid lobsterman, He continued 
lobstering well into his late eighties.
  Beyond his professional success and passion for the sea, Ray remained 
deeply involved in the community. He served as a lector at St. Thomas 
Moore Catholic Church and St. Francis Xavier Parish, where he was 
President of the Knights of Columbus. Ray was also a member Weymouth 
Rotary Club, before moving and joining the Braintree Rotary Club, where 
he served as President for many years. Additionally, Ray was elected as 
a town meeting member for the Town of Braintree and greatly enjoyed 
participating in town governance and supporting the community.
  Sadly, Ray's wife, Marty, passed away in 2008, but Ray continued to 
be active with the Braintree Rotary Club and throughout the South Shore 
community. Today, Ray enjoys spending time with his grandchildren in 
Rocky Nook as well as Naples during the winter. On August 16, 2025, Ray 
will celebrate his 100th birthday with his family in Rocky Nook.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Ray Duffy, and I ask that my 
colleagues join me in celebrating a century well lived and wishing Ray 
many more years of health and happiness.
  

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