Photos courtesy of Kent E. Studebaker
Duffy-Larson was a dedicated member of many civic and political organizations, including the Ohio Arts Council and the Columbus Museum of Art; her generosity will live on in the green space and public gardens of Marble Cliff.
Just when you thought spring in the Village of Marble Cliff couldn’t get any more colorful, the Village gardens have exploded with renewed vigor thanks to a generous donation from a former Village resident.
Rosemary (Sicilian) Duffy-Larson, a former Cambridge Boulevard resident of the Village in the 1960s, included the Village in her will, designating funds to be used for green space/public garden improvement and maintenance.
The Village has worked initially with a landscape firm to improve the plantings displayed on Cambridge Island. The intent is to have the island plantings display colors that will change seasonally.
Additional design for Village gardens is anticipated. A plaque is located in the Cambridge Island garden to acknowledge Duffy-Larson’s gift and designate it the Rosemary Duffy-Larson Garden.
Duffy-Larson, born in Columbus on May 5, 1916, dedicated her life to community, social endeavors and philanthropy. In 1943, Duffy-Larson married Thomas J. Duffy of Columbus, who would serve locally as a judge.
Duffy-Larson began what would be a lasting commitment to civic and political activities. During her life, she served as chair of Central Ohio’s Observation of the U.S. Bicentennial (chairing the Ohio State Bicentennial Ball), on the Ohio Arts Council and as president of the Women’s Division of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. She was active with Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Columbus Museum of Art and was one of 300 women chosen by the President to attend the Women’s Role in Politics conference at the White House.
A widowed Duffy-Larson married Clarence E. Larson and spent most of her time in Washington D.C., where she maintained her active community life before moving to Ft. Lauderdale in the 1980s. During those years in Fort Lauderdale, she served on boards of organizations including the Opera Society, Concert Association of Florida, Florida Philharmonic Society Board, and Pyramid Society.
It was upon her passing in 2016, at the age of 100, that her generosity for community and the arts was felt in the Columbus area once again. Duffy-Larson’s estate set aside funds for the Village of Marble Cliff and the beautification of its public garden spaces.
Additionally, Our Lady of Victory Church in the Village was also bequeathed funds to be used to enhance the grounds with plantings and statuary. Duffy-Larson also acknowledged Opera Project Columbus, directed by her cousin Alessandro Siciliani, with a donation that afforded the troupe its largest-ever budget for productions.
“The Village is indebted to Ms. Duffy-Larson for her generosity. This type of gift is not common for the Village, but is greatly appreciated and is indicative of the long-term positive impact living in the Village has on an individual,” says Mayor Kent Studebaker. “The Rosemary Duffy-Larson Garden is a beautiful living tribute to a life well-lived.”
1 of 4
2 of 4
3 of 4
4 of 4
