John Clifford Gaffney
1920 - 2014
John Clifford Gaffney
1920 - 2014
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John Gaffney Obituary
Cliff was born 12-30-1920 in Bellingham, Washington. He passed away peacefully on 6-13-2014 in Chico, CA with loving family at his side.
He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Zelda, daughter and son-in-law Merrilee and Chuck Johnson, daughter-in-law Shaunda Gaffney-Barile, and son and daughter-in-law Kyle and Shannon Gaffney, 8 grandchildren and 5 spouses, and 8 great-grandchildren. Cliff was preceded in death by his son, Kevin John Gaffney.
Cliff was very well-liked by all. He was President of his junior class in 1939, President of the Bellingham High School Student Body in 1940 and President of his freshmen class at Western Washington College in Bellingham in 1941. In 1942 he and Zelda were married but one month later Uncle Sam claimed him. In 1944, he was honored with a 3-foot trophy as the "Man of the Year" at the Pasco Naval Base. On November 15, 1945 he returned to Bellingham.
He became the third baseman of the Bellingham Bells baseball team for 10 years and in 1950 received another 3-foot trophy as the most valuable player in Washington State Semi-Pro Baseball. He was also a member of the Bellingham Fircrest Basketball Team. They were the champions of the first professional basketball league on the West Coast.
Cliff worked in sales for the Georgia Pacific Tissue Division and was transferred to Bellevue in 1962. There he coached little League Baseball in every age bracket, from little fellows to American Legion. In 1990, he retired as Director of Sales Training and then served as Director of Husky Fever at the University of Washington.
When he was 75, he attended a large luncheon and came home carrying yet another 3-foot trophy acknowledging his induction to the Washington State Baseball Hall of Fame.
There will be a graveside service for family and friends on Friday, August 8, 2014 at 11:30AM at the Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 SE 240th Street, Kent, WA.
Telephone (425)413-9164.
The service will be followed by a celebration of his life at the Maplewood Golf Course in Renton.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
3 Entries
August 8, 2014
Kyle - our dad's are together in heaven having a good chat about old Bellingham times ... May all your good memories come to the surface. Thinking of you and your families - Lyn Adams
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Bellingham Bells history display. Jersey in middle was Cliff's and he can be seen in the photo at the top center
Dick Martin
July 29, 2014
Dick Martin
July 27, 2014
I was so sad to see the passing of Cliff that was reported in the Bellingham Herald sports page. I grew up knowing Cliff when he played for my father's team, the Bells. I was the bat boy in those years and am sorry that he retired just before I started to play. He was one of the last surviving members of the original team. It was a great pleasure to see and talk with him two years ago when he and Zelda where given a pre-game honor by the Bells and he threw out the first pitch. I was surprised when he was able to fit into his own baseball jersey from the 1950s. I had taken the jersey from the display case of Bells history that is on located in Bellingham's First Pitch establishment. I took my mother, who is now 100 years old, to the game and she was so please to again meet and talk with the Gaffneys. Cliff was always willing to come to Bellingham when there was baseball related events like a reunion at the ball park with old Bells a number of years ago and a 50th wedding party for teammate Ty Hofiditz.
Cliff was a true gentleman that, seemed to me, never aged. He still had that spunk and peronality that he had back in his playing days. I will miss him very much.
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