NEW HAMPTON - Mae Gaffney, 87, New Hampton, died Sunday, June 17, 2001 at the New Hampton Care Center of natural causes.

Funeral services were 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 20 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Hampton with Rev. Carl Schmitt officiating. Organist Ann Bennett accompanied cantor Rose Baltes and the St. Joseph Resurrection Choir singing "All Creatures of Our Goa and King", "Prayer of St. Francis", "Gift of Finest Wheat" and "On Eagle’s Wings". Mass servers were Sara Kobliska and Bridget Brown. Valerie Speltz was lector. Gift bearers were granddaughters Amy Ingalls and Lori Krall. Mae’s children placed the pall.

Burial was in Calvary Cemetery in New Hampton with Ricnard Schmidt, Steven Schmidt, Greg Till, Brad Till, Mike Mitchell and Paul Johnson serving as casket bearers.

Visitation was from 3-8 p.m. Tuesday, June 19 at Conway Funeral Home in New Hampton, with a 4 p.m. combined CD of A and Rosary Society Rosary and 7:30 p.m. Scripture Service and also an hour prior to services at the church.

Mae Elizabeth Gaffney was born Jan. 11, 1914 at New Hampton, the daughter of Joseph and Amy (Fulcher) Lensing. She attended St. Joseph Catholic School and New Hampton High School. On Sept. 2, 1930 she was united in marriage with Alfred "Bud" Gaffney in New Hampton, where the couple resided all their married life. Mae worked for Ferkin's Super Valu and was a cook at Holly's Cafe. She also was a cook at St. Joseph Catholic School for 18 years, retiring in 1978. After her retirement, Mae enjoyed going to the Senior (Renter, playing cards, reading and needlepoint. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and Rosary Society and Catholic Daughters of Americas Court Joan of Arc No. 388.

Surviving are three daughters, Dorothy Schmidt, New Hampton, Dolores Till, Clear Lake, Ruth (Jack) Lauver, Linn, TX; one son, Jim (Marlene) Gaffney, Hiawatha; two sons-in-law, Paul Johnson, New Hampton, Jim Mitchell, Fredericksburg; 19 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren.

Preceding her in death were her parents; husband, Alfred "Bug" on Nov. 6, 1983; one son, Donald in infancy; two daughters, Eileen Johnson and Nancy Mitchell; four brothers, Virgil, James, Bob and Dewey Lensing; one sister, Loretta Campbell.

Source: New Hampton Tribune; June 22, 2001 Page 4
from Elma library collection assembled by Marian (Marr) McGee
Transcribed by ABBYY FineReader® 12, Adapted to the Web by Bill Waters