Barbara Joyce Duffitt - Obituary

arbara was Born January 17, 1944, in Philippi West Virginia, to William Robert Haller and Thelma Louise Booth Haller. She would have three younger siblings Gary Robert Haller and Beverly Haller (Patrick) who both proceeded her in death and is survived by her Sister Denise Haller Mattingly (David). She grew up in Philippi West Virginia and moved to Belington West Virginia and was raised by her Grandparents Zelma and Ralph (Poppie) Haller. As a teenager, she would work after school at the family restaurant “Haller’s” restaurant which was in the center of town. At the age of 17 she graduated from Belington High School with Honors in 1961 and that summer, through a special work program that was initiated by President John F. Kennedy she would move to Washington D.C. and accepted a job with the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) on June 5 1961 as a clerk typist. Later FHA would become the Housing and Urban Development. (HUD). She would receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from Housing and Urban Development and retired as Acting Director of the Executive Secretariat Office on December 31, 1999. Although Robert Duffitt and Barbara Haller knew each other from High School back in Belington, they really did not start dating until 1963, after both had started to work for FHA. After three years of dating each other, they got married on September 17, 1966. After being married Robert and Barbara lived in South View Apartments off South View Drive and then later would purchase their home at 1302 Birchwood Drive in Oxon Hill Maryland where they have since lived together for over 56 years of marriage. On October 14th 1972 they would give birth to their first son Stephen Robert Duffitt and on July 2nd 1979 would give birth to their second son Michael Kenneth Duffitt. Mom and Dad would see both of their sons find the love of their lives in Nika and Janet as both sons started dating their now wives in November of 2007. Mom would live to see the birth of her grandson Stephen (Little Stevie) on April 27, 2014 and would see his siblings Ariana and Courtney (Cesar) become young adults. She is survived by Her Husband Robert Duffitt, Sister Denise Haller Mattingly (David), Brother in Laws David and Randall Duffitt. Sons Stephen and Michael, Grandsons Stephen (Stevie) and Courtney (Cesar) and Granddaughter Ariana. Nephews Adam Patrick, Dustin Mattingly, Kent Haller (Jocelyn Trubiano Haller). Nieces Michelle Duffitt, Deidre Mattingly, Kimberly Haller Harris, Vanessa Patrick. She was an active member of St. John’s Senior Lunch Bunch, National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) and The Red Hats. She passed away on May 1, 2023.