John Duley created an open space in Mid-Michigan’s nonprofit community where everyone was accepted with open arms and encouraged to help uplift one another.
Duley died on July 15. He was 100-years-old, and that long life was full of love, compassion, courage, and kindness. A celebration of his life is set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Presbyterian Church of Okemos.
Duley was a Presbyterian minister at Michigan State University for 20 years, Civil Rights activist, founder of the Greater Lansing Housing Coalition, and created an educaiton program at Edgewood Village low-income housing community.
Duley had a lengthy list of passion projects and causes he advocated for including childhood early education.
Duley was described as a champion of social justice, and he included CACS Head Start program in his activities. He is responsible for CACS Head Start having two classrooms and offices in the Edgewood Village complex, making education easily accessible to families with young children in that community. He also included Head Start parents in Closing the Digital Gap, a program designed to give low-income families computer and internet access.
According to the Lansing State Journal, funeral services are being provided by Watkins Brothers Funeral Homes in Laingsburg. LSJ wrote that Duley’s family asked that memorial contributions be made in his name to Edgewood Village in lieu of flowers.
Read more about John Duley and how impacted the Greater Lansing Area at https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2021/07/20/john-duley-died-presbyterian-minister-michigan-state-housing-civil-rights-advocate/8017404002/ and https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/life/2020/11/17/100-years-old-and-fight-continues-civil-rights/6280472002/