James “Jim” Leonard Duda, 84, of Winchester, Virginia, passed away at home on February 11, 2026.

Jim was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1941 to Stephen and Frances Duda, the second of three children. Jim studied mechanical engineering at Pennsylvania State University, where he met his wife of 61 years, Barbara Ellen “Bonnie” Duda (née Brown). They married December 2, 1964, and moved to Accokeek, Maryland, where Jim began his career as a mechanical engineer for the Research and Development Department of the Naval Surface Warfare Center. In 1969, Jim earned his M.S. in engineering from George Washington University and spent the next eight years working for the Computer Science Corporation. Jim earned his D.S. in engineering management from George Washington University in 1986. After working for the Computer Science Corporation, Jim held the position of chief statistician with the Department of Transportation for a decade, before taking on a managerial role with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), where he worked on projects involving the space station and satellites for 19 years before retiring in 2005.

After retirement, Jim and Bonnie moved to Winchester, Virginia, where they lived the farming life for the past 20 years, growing vegetables and managing goats, chickens, ducks, turkeys, rabbits, and honeybees.

Throughout his life, Jim enjoyed spending time in nature: hiking, fishing, and camping. He participated in many camping trips and scouting events while raising his five children. Jim was also an active member of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Winchester, Virginia, and an avid member of his bible study group. He valued education, hard work, and family.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Stephen and Frances, his younger sister, Barbara, and his older brother, Ronald, and is survived by his wife, Barbara, his five children, Paul, Jame, Juliet, Michael, and Jacob, and seven grandchildren, Eli, Mitchell, Hannah, Benjamin, Leo, Emilia, and Ava.

Relatives and friends are invited to his visitation Friday (Feb 27) from 10:00am until his Funeral Mass at 11:00am at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, Winchester with Fr. Bjorn Lundberg celebrating Mass. Interment will follow at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Cemetery, Winchester. Following the committal service, all are invited back to Muldowney Hall at the Church for a continued time of food and fellowship together.

Donations in Jim’s name to Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, 130 Keating Drive, Winchester, VA 22601 would be greatly appreciated.