Obituary of Westley Daniel Duffey

Superintendent Westley Daniel Duffey was born September 20, 1923 in Rockwall County, Texas to Wesley and Cora Hearn-Duffey. He grew up in Forney, Texas and attended the Forney Colored School and later, Ft. Worth Public Schools. Pastor Duffey was a member of a Church of God In Christ Pioneer family of 5 generations that have been COGIC members for nearly 100 years. He entered ministry as a teen and received his first ministerial license in 1942 through the late Bishop E. M. Page and Bishop C.H. Mason, founder of the Church of God in Christ. He moved to Bakersfield, California in 1944 and became the District Jurisdiction YPWW, where he was acquainted with his future wife, H. Beatrice Dodson. They married in 1947, He began pastoring in Victorville, California and soon relocated his family to Pittsburg, California in 1952. He founded Evangelist Church of God in Christ in 1955 where he pastored for nearly 60 years and was appointed District Superintendent for California Northwest Jurisdiction COGIC in 1971 and remained until his illness. He received an honorary Doctor of Ministry degree from Bell Grove Theoligcal Seminary for a lifetime of service in the Ministry. Pastor Duffey went from labor to reward on Sunday, September 7, 2014. Pastor Duffey leaves to cherish his memory, his wife of more than 67 years, H. Beatrice Duffey; his children, Dr. Pamela Diane Duffey-Mills, Malinda Patrice Duffey, Pastor Westley Daniel Duffey III (District Missionary, Betty), Min. Phillip Jerome Duffey, Dorcas Johnice Duffey; one brother-in-law, Walter Dodson, Eldest daughter, Elizabeth Olinda Duffey preceded him in death in 2011. Fourteen grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren and one godson, Dr. Billy Forrest, Sr. Services will be officiated by The Rt. Rev. Bishop Jerry W. Macklin, second assistant of the general board of The Church of God In Christ, International at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 13, 2014 at Evangelist Church of God in Christ, 1100 Harbor Street, Pittsburg; Westley D. Duffey III, pastor. Published in Contra Costa Times on Sept. 13, 2014