Stas Duda, Beloved Family Man and Coin Collector, Passes Away at 75

Stephen 'Stas' Ludwig Duda passed away peacefully at his home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on August 28, 2026. He was born in Ingolstadt, Germany to Stefan and Katharina Schrittenloher Duda. After immigrating to the US with his family, he settled in Cohoes, New York, where he attended St. Michael's Catholic School and Cohoes High School (Class of 1969). At 18, he began working at Bendix (Honeywell) in Green Island, NY, becoming a lifelong member of United Automobile Workers (UAW).

In his free time, Duda enjoyed playing baseball, delivering newspapers, and hanging out at Van Schaick Golf Course. He was an avid fan of the Los Angeles Rams and Dodgers and organized annual Super Bowl Sunday events. After retiring, he moved to Winston-Salem to be closer to family.

Duda's favorite role was playing Santa at children's Christmas parties. In his later years, he spent hours organizing and sorting coins, which were one of many collections he had. His family will miss him dearly, particularly during their gatherings where he'd play LCR and serve as the personal banker.