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Visitation:
10 a.m. Friday, July 15, 2016 at the First
Presbyterian Church of Lincoln
Service:
11 a.m. Friday, July 15, at the church
Funeral home:
Fricke-Calvert-Schrader, Lincoln
Obituary
Emory Clark Gaffney, 95, passed away at 12:55 p.m.
on July 5, 2016 at St. Clara’s Manor of Lincoln.
Mr. Gaffney was born on October 5, 1920 in Lincoln,
the son of Dr. Emory Clizbe and Ruth Katherine Ryan
Gaffney. He married Dorothy “Dort” Harrison on April
15, 1944 in Fort Myers, FL. They celebrated their
72nd wedding anniversary this past April. She
survives him.
Emory is also survived by his large extended family
including: sister-in-law, Mrs. Dorothy Buckstegge
(Jack) Harrison. His family includes his nieces and
nephews, nieces-in-law and nephews-in-law: Nancy
Mathews, Gerald (Susan) Dehner, Valerie (Gary
Crawford) Dehner, and nephew-in-law, Tom Tiffany;
Geoff (Pam) Harrison; Kathy (Bill) Daunais, Beth
(Dave) Eckert, and niece-in-law, Bobbi Abbott;
Maureen (Bernard “Hop”) Looney, Tim Harrison, Terry
(Cari) Harrison, Kathleen (Peter) Kollinger; Jack
“Jay” (Debra) Harrison, Jan Saylor, Joe (Teresa)
Harrison; Pam (Michael McArdle) Bubeck, Chris
Harrison and Sean (Jennifer) Harrison, as well as
many great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister,
Edith Claire Dehner; niece, Betty Tiffany; nephews,
J. Michael “Mike” Abbott and Andrew Auld;
sisters-in-law, Katherine Abbott, Eleanor Harrison
and Ruth Harrison; brothers-in-law, Jim Abbott, Ben
Harrison, Jack Harrison, and Phil Harrison.
Emory graduated from Lincoln High School, earned his
undergraduate degree from Baylor University in Texas
and then completed his master’s degree in Accounting
from the University of Illinois. He earned his
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license and opened
an accounting firm in downtown Lincoln at the
Griesheim Building where he practiced for 30 years.
Emory was a veteran of 3 branches of military
service—U.S. Navy, Army Air Force, and U.S. Air
Force. He served in both WWII, where he was a B-29
navigator, and also the Korean War. |
In 1934 (over 82 years ago), he became a member of
the First Presbyterian Church, where he served as a
Trustee, Elder and church Treasurer for several
years. He was also a member of the Elks Lodge 914
for 71 years.
Emory’s interests in tennis became a big part of his
life in grade school. At Lincoln High School Emory
and his doubles partner finished in 3rd place at the
IHSA tennis tournaments in 1936 and 1937. During
WWII while stationed in Panama, he had the
distinction of being their National Tennis Champion.
Locally known as an outstanding tennis player, Emory
had the honor of winning the City of Lincoln’s
Tennis Tournament at least one time for 7
consecutive decades, beginning with his first
victory in 1937 and his last in 1991. He continued
to play tennis competitively until he was 76 years
old.
Emory and Dort also shared a love for traveling.
They visited all 50 states, including driving the
Alaskan Highway, where they even stopped along the
way to post a “Lincoln 3,076 miles” directional
sign. They also made trips abroad to Australia, New
Zealand, Thailand, Japan, China (walked the Great
Wall), Africa, Ireland, Scotland and England.
A Memorial Service for Mr. Gaffney will be 11:00
a.m. Friday July 15, 2016 at the First Presbyterian
Church of Lincoln with Rev. Adam Quine officiating.
Visitation will be one hour prior to the service
also at the church at 10:00 a.m. Burial at New Union
Cemetery will follow the service where full military
rites will be accorded by the Lincoln American
Legion Post #263.
Memorials may be made in Emory’s name to the First
Presbyterian Church of Lincoln. Services are
entrusted to Fricke-Calvert-Schrader in Lincoln.
Click here to send a note of condolence to the family of Emory
Gaffney |
