Immaculate Mary Duch (Mackie), beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, passed away peacefully on February 3rd at the age of seventy-nine. Mackie was born to the late Frank R. and Carmella Romano on December 7th, 1944, in Amsterdam, New York.

Mackie is survived by her husband, Richard H. Duch, her daughter Lisa (Duch) Delfini and her husband J. Brooke Delfini, her son Richard Dutch, her sister Roberta Peters, her nephew Seth Peters, his wife Sarah Peters, and her five grandchildren, Caitlin Dutch, Christopher Dutch, Ryan Delfini, Alexandra Delfini and Carly Dutch.

Mackie graduated from Wilbur H. Lynch High School in Amsterdam, NY in 1962, received her BA from Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1966 and a Master of Arts in reading from the University of Rhode Island in 1977.  She married Richard on August 20, 1966.  They lived together in New York, Chicago, Rhode Island, Minnesota, and New Jersey before relocating permanently to Vero Beach, Florida in 2009.

Other than her family, Mackie had three passions; education, caring for children, and art.

Mackie developed her passion for education in college, majoring in early childhood education and she started her career right after graduation as an elementary school teacher and later became a reading specialist.  In 1981, Mackie became an entrepreneur and opened a teaching supply and toy store, The Teaching Room, in Morristown New Jersey.  At The Teaching Room, Mackie used her expertise to help teachers, tutors and parents provide the best resources for their students and children.  As a result, the Teaching Room was very successful and Mackie eventually grew the business into a chain of three stores before selling it in 2009. The Teaching Room is still in business and impacting children's lives today.   Her passion for education continued through her membership in the P.E.O. Sisterhood of Vero Beach, which provides merit-based financial assistance programs for college-bound women in Florida.

Mackie cared for children through her leadership at the Hibiscus Guild (the Guild), which provides funding to Hibiscus Center. The Center is a safe haven for children removed from their homes due to abuse, abandonment, or neglect, and provides housing, therapeutic counseling, medical assistance, literacy, educational support and career and life skills development.  Mackie held various leadership positions at the Guild, culminating with her term as President.  During her almost 10 years of membership, she co-chaired many events, such as the Candlelight Ball and the Wine and Dine. Through her efforts, significant funds were raised for the Center, which will benefit children for years to come.

Mackie was an art minor in college and her artistic talent blossomed in her retirement.  Many of her beautiful pieces can be found in her home and the homes of her children, as well as the homes of those who won items in charitable auctions to which she donated her pieces.  Mackie was a past steering committee member of the Circle of the Vero Beach Museum of Art,  where she chaired the Friends of the Museum's Antique show, was on the events committee for "Fashion Meets Art," and was a volunteer coordinator of Art for Health's Sake.
Mackie was also a member of the Holy Cross Women's Guild.  Mackie will be remembered for her gentle spirit, her warm smile, and her unconditional love for her family. She leaves behind a legacy of compassion and service that will continue to inspire all who knew her.  May she rest in peace, reunited with her parents and all of her aunts and uncles in the arms of our Lord.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mackie's memory can be made to the Hibiscus Children's Center https://hibiscuschildrenscenter.org/donate-2/.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at Holy Cross Church in Vero Beach, FL.

Anyone wishing to send the family a message or share a story is asked to visit Mackie's memorial page at www.coxgiffordseawinds.com.