Former Johnson County Supervisor Charley Duffy dies

IOWA CITY – Charles “Charley” Duffy, who served 12 years on the Johnson County of Board of Supervisors and was an advocate for farmers and senior citizens, died Tuesday. He was 83.

Duffy, a farmer from rural Solon who raised registered Shorthorn cattle and was active in Farm Bureau and 4-H, died in his sleep Tuesday morning.

A Democrat, Duffy served three terms as a county supervisor, ending his 12-year run in 2000 by not seeking re-election.

“He really represented the rural area of the county,” said Supervisor Sally Stutsman of rural Riverside, who served six years with Duffy. “He was a farmer, and he really brought a rural element to the Board of Supervisors.”

She added that Duffy probably knew more people in Johnson County than any other supervisor she's worked with.

County Treasurer Tom Kriz called Duffy as accessible a supervisor as he's ever seen.

“I used to call him the politician's politician,” said Kriz, treasurer since 1999. “If there was a pancake breakfast or a fundraiser, Charley just didn't miss any of them.”

He said Duffy remained interested in county news and he talked with Duffy regularly for several years after Duffy left office.

In December 2000, as his time on the board was ending, Duffy told The Gazette that among his personal highlights as a supervisor was his push to fund county services for those with brain injuries and the progress of the transit service that gives rides to the disabled and senior citizens. He also spoke of the importance of the county's home-delivery meal service for seniors.

At his final board meeting, he said he'd miss the county employees most of all.

“They're great people,” he said. “They work hard. When they deal with the public, they are very polite.”

Duffy's interests went beyond politics. He was active in livestock judging and, as a youth, played sports at Iowa City High School.

According to his obituary, he was a good singer and, when a child, his parents turned down opportunities for him to be in movies with Shirley Temple and to play the son to Henry Fonda's character in “The Grapes of Wrath.”

Duffy is survived by his wife of 62 years, Joyce,

Visitation is 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at Lensing Funeral Service, 605 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, 630 E Davenport St., Iowa City.