Louis Gaffney

Louis Paul Gaffney, the son of Paul and Louise Behrens Gaffney was born June 5, 1939, in Peoria, IL. His childhood years were spent in the Lincoln and Peoria, IL, area where he attended school and graduated from Spalding High School in Peoria. He also spent some time in the Guardian Angel Orphanage in Lincoln, IL. Louis graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy. He enlisted in the United States Navy in October of 1962 and served until his honorable medical discharge in November of 1962. Following his discharge, he graduated with a Masters in Pharmacy from the University of Iowa. He worked for pharmacies in Iowa City, IA, Webster City, IA, and Bushnell, IL, until settling in Storm Lake, IA, where he owned and operated Medicap Pharmacy for 20 years. He spent the last 10 as a pharmacist for Lewis Drug in Sioux Falls, SD. Louis was an avid fan of the Iowa Hawkeye's and known for his sense of humor and fun loving personality. He enjoyed golfing, traveling, especially to Colorado, and spending time with his family. He followed Dakota State University sporting events, especially the women's basketball team. He was a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD, and an active member of the Foundation Board in Madison, SD. Louis passed away Thursday, September 13, 2012, at Bethel Lutheran Home in Madison, SD, at the age of 73. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Louise, and foster parents, Norbert and Margaret Glash; one brother, Dave Gaffney; infant brother, Stephen Gaffney; and one sister-in-law, Mary Gaffney. Left to cherish his memory are his 3 children, Dan (Laurie) Gaffney of Storm Lake, IA, Deb (Todd) Gaffney Bonnes of Denver, CO, and Dawn (Jeff) Dittman of Madison, SD; 4 grandchildren, Brooke, Madison and Austin Gaffney, all of Storm Lake, IA, and Taylor Dittman of Madison, SD; one brother, Bill Gaffney of Kansas City, MO; one niece, Dr. Laura (Tim) Gaffney-Elliot Of Kansas City, MO; one great-niece, Ambica Elliot of Kansas City, MO; his ex- wife Marie Gaffney-Nelson of Denver, Co; and many friends. Memorials may be made to the Lou Gaffney Endowed Scholarship at Dakota State University. Eulogy of Louis Paul Gaffney: Short Stories of the Most Unforgettable Character We've Ever met There are so many stories that can be told about Dad. We wish there were time to tell them all, and if we had the ability to tell a joke as well as Dad did, we'd do that too. Everywhere we go, we are stopped by people who knew Dad, who remember his laugh, his jokes and have a favorite story to share. We'd like to share a few of our stories today in honor of Dad. When he was young, Dad was known as Louis Paul by his family from Lincoln, Illinois. His early years were difficult ones, but his cousin Kay summed it up best: "life wasn't always kind to the Gaffney boys, but they were survivors. He did his best to take care of his brothers when he was just a child himself after his mom passed. I always remember him telling the greatest stories and his laugh. He found happiness in his life when it could have gone the other way. His mother would have been so proud of him. God is getting one of his best when Louis Paul walks through those gates". As kids when we were a bit older, we took a trip back with Dad to the orphanage he spent time in. A nun, who was well into her nineties, rolled out in her wheelchair to see Dad. She looked at him a minute, then raised a crooked finger up and said, "Oh, I remember you....it's Louis Paul". She eyed him a little while longer before giving him a hug, probably remembering the time he pocketed the red beets he hated from his lunch tray into his blue jeans pocket, and then forgot about them, turning all the laundry pink. Maybe she was remembering the time he stole chewing tobacco, so he could chew like a big leaguer, and passed out cold while rounding 2nd base. Or, maybe she was remembering a little boy who came from difficult circumstances who had beaten the odds. I bet it was the beets. Those early years shaped Dad's life significantly, and made him care for all of his possession meticulously. His brother Bill told us last week, "When Louie got his first car, he was so crazy about it he made Dave and I take our shoes off before we could even get in it". On his first date with Mom, he shook the floor mat out right after she got out of the car. She asked, "Did you really just do that in front of me???"...he laughed and said "I guess I did!" His clothes were always perfectly pressed, his shoes and watches neatly arranged and his desk perfectly organized. This was of course also a never-ending source of fun for Danny, who would frequently re-arrange the pens on his desk while Dad wasn't looking. Within a few minutes Dad would be putting his pens back in order and we'd all have a little chuckle watching this scene over and over throughout the years. Growing up, Saturday nights were often Dad's night to "cook" when Mom worked late. This really meant KFC on TV trays while watching Flipper, the Love Boat and Fantasy Island. Louie rules were a little unique: nobody gets in trouble for staying up late as long as we'd sprint to bed when mom opened the garage door, and each of us had to take our turns giving him a back rub. He'd made Jiffy pop popcorn on the stove for us as he dug into his Olives. Dad never met an Olive he didn't like. Or any meal he didn't like for that matter. Every meal was the "best......fill in the blank" he ever ate. The best steak he'd ever had, the best potatoes he'd ever tasted...He was wonderful to cook for. Dad's sense of humor, his love of people, his determination and his will to survive helped him overcome a difficult childhood, become a successful pharmacist, father, and grandfather, and courageously fight a 15 year battle against cancer. As his children we are thankful for the many hours he worked to provide for us and send us to college, both things he never had. We will remember his fondness for newspapers, cologne, all things pickled, the Dakota State and Hastings Women's Basketball teams, the Rocky Mountains and of course his lifelong love affair with the game of golf. His is "a wonderful story" as his son-in-law has said, and we thank each of you for remembering Louie today and your own wonderful stories with him. We love you Dad. We love you Grandpa. We will miss you dearly. (Pastor following this, Mike Mullen, Lou's friend for many, many years (?40), would like to tell a few of his own short stories about Louie).

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