Angela Gaffney

Angela Ethel (Dull) Gaffney of Anselmo passed away August 29, 2011,, at Golden Living Center in Broken Bow, NE. A requiem Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anselm’s Catholic Church in Anselmo on Thursday, September 1 with Father Hugh Spanel officiating. Burial will be at St. Anselm’s Cemetery. Govier Brothers Mortuary is in charge of arrangements with visitation on Wednesday, August 31, until 5:00 PM. A Christian wake service and rosary following the visitation to be held at St. Anselm’s Catholic Church at 7:00 PM. The family requests that memorials be made to St. Anselm’s Church, Anselmo, Nebraska. Angela was born on June 13, 1921, in New York City to Robert Adam and Ethel Mary (Smith) Dull. Survivors include her children : Howard R Gaffney and Linda of Anselmo; Philip A. Gaffney & Susan of Evans, Georgia; Maureen Nickels of Chapman; Robert P. Gaffney & Sara of Wildwood, Missouri; brother-in-law William J. Havens of Smithfield, Virginia; and Sandra Schall of Broken Bow who Angela considered a dear friend and like a daughter who visited Angela on a daily basis. Other survivors include her grandchildren: Angela Dickey (Greg) , Howard Gaffney, Teresa Lentfer (Jerry), Andrew Gaffney (Cristi) , Philip John Gaffney and Matthew Gaffney, Chelsa Nickels, Chloé and Conrad Gaffney; great-grandchildren: Nichole, Adam and Jeffrey Dickey; Sophia and Olivia Lentfer; Spencer, Karson, Zachary and Jayden Gaffney. Nieces and Nephews: Geoffrey Barbey (Marci), Janet Lashway, Susan Barbey, Marilyn Maresco-Shepard, Marguerite Maresco-Bosco, Frank Gaffney (Penny), and Patricia Zylawski (Hank). Angela was welcomed into heaven by her husband Howard J. Gaffney; her parents; baby brother Robert; sisters: Dorothy Barbey-Warneck , Teresa Lorraine Havens and Agnes Maresco who Angela grew up with and considered her a sister . Angela was a member of St. Anselm’s Catholic Church where she was President of the St. Anselm’s Altar Society and taught CCD classes for numerous years. She was an active member of the Anselmo Extension Club, Anselmo PTA, 4-H leader for the Happy Hoosier Hillbillies 4-H Club, and a Board member of the Winter’s Memorial Library. Angela grew up in New York City and attended PS116 and Hunter College High School. Angela entered Hunter College, but because of WW II it was necessary that she work full time. She was employed at B. Altmans, one of New York’s oldest and most esteemed department stores as a milliner and finished seamstress prior to moving to Nebraska. Besides working at Halsey National Forest and Scott’s Market in Anselmo, Angela retired after 21 years with Becton-Dickinson of Broken Bow. As a young woman, Angela spent the summers with her grandmother Teresa ‘Tess’ Johnson on her ranch located south of Anselmo and learned to love the vastness of Nebraska. Angela married Howard J. Gaffney of New York City on June 30, 1945 at Sacred Heart’s Church in New York City. Howard and Angela moved to Nebraska in 1947 where they made their first home in Ortello Valley. In 1954 the Gaffney’s moved to the family farm west of Anselmo where they continued farming and raising their family. To this union, four children were born. Mr. Gaffney died in 1971. Angela will long be remembered for her strong values of family, faith and friendship. Her life centered around her family. The family Christmas dinners and family baptisms were two very special events for Angela. She enjoyed the planning, the preparation and the family gathering together at the farmhouse for these very special moments. She dearly loved each and every one of her grandchildren and was known to each as Nannie. A great delight of Angela’s was to take each grandchild on a weeklong trip to either New York City or Washington DC upon their 8th grade graduation. Angela loved traveling at every opportunity. A memorable trip was to Europe for the 50th Anniversary of D-Day where she was able to walk the beaches of Normandy where her late husband was at during WWII. Angela had a great love of reading, needlework, gardening and cooking for her family. Angela’s memory is a keepsake. While God has her in his arms, her family has her in their hearts forever.