Mary Gaffney
June 7, 2009

Mary (Higgins) Gaffney, a 36-year resident of Ambler, died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma on June 7, 2009, at her home. She was 67.

Born in Culnacleha, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, Ireland, she immigrated to the United States in 1949 when she was seven years old and settled with her family in Philadelphia. She was the wife of John F. "Jack" Gaffney, Esq. and the daughter of the late Kathleen and Thomas F. Higgins.

Mrs. Gaffney was a registered nurse who graduated from Misericordia Hospital School of Nursing in 1963. Early in her career, she worked at Albert Einstein Medical Center. After her children reached school age, she cared for the elderly at Saint Joseph Villa in Flourtown and the Artman Home in Ambler for more than fifteen years.
Over the years, Mrs. Gaffney volunteered her time to many philanthropic and religious organizations. Among her charitable endeavors, she led the teen social group and coached girls' basketball for the Catholic Youth Organization at her church, St. Anthony of Padua. Most recently, she delivered meals to the homebound elderly for Aid for Friends and organized and distributed donations to needy families for Catholic Social Services in Norristown.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her children, Beth Gaffney (Richard) Mohr of Oreland, John (Susan) Gaffney of West Roxbury, MA, Paul (Kristen) Gaffney of Montgomery Township, Mary Kathryn (Scott) Hendrickson of Philadelphia, Kathleen Gaffney of New York City, and Susan (Kevin) Fissell of South Norwalk, CT.; her grandchildren Owen, Jane, Ryan, Harry and Maggie Gaffney, and Connor Mohr; and two brothers, Michael (Dorothy Ann) Higgins of Bryn Mawr and Thomas G. Higgins of Philadelphia.
The family will receive relatives and friends on Wednesday, June 10 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Anton B. Urban Funeral Home, 1111 S. Bethlehem Pike, Ambler, PA and Thursday, June 11 after 9 a.m., at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 259 Forest Avenue, Ambler, PA. The funeral mass will begin at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at St. John Neumann Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate remembrances in the form of Mass Cards or donations to St. Anthony's Church Memorial Fund or to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (www.leukemia-lymphoma.org )

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