John Duffy ’59 Exemplifies the Importance of Giving Back

Canterbury School has been an important part of John Duffy’s life from his time as a student in the 1950s to his longtime service on the Board of Trustees (including nine years as president) to his continued involvement today.

John’s strong sense of philanthropy galvanized him to support the place that meant so much to him in his formative years. “I had a very meaningful experience at Canterbury. I grew up there and decided that was where I wanted to dedicate my efforts,” he explained. Those efforts have included several planned giving initiatives to benefit his alma mater now and in the future.

The Duffy name has become synonymous with the school—students display their work in The Edward J. Duffy Family Art Gallery and live in Duffy House on campus, to cite just two examples. John and his late wife, Anne Duffy P ’87, ’91, have long been the embodiment of what it means to give back to Canterbury.

Placing a high priority on faculty growth, John and Anne established the John P. ’59 and Anne Duffy Faculty Travel Award Fund in 1996 to advance professional development opportunities for Canterbury teachers. And John, who retired after 30 years as a member of the NYSE and general partner in Spear, Leeds & Kellogg, continues to lead by example and share his passion for philanthropy with students and young alumni. 

“I hope they take away the feeling that Canterbury did enough for them, and so they want to give something back,” he said.