Family, friends, colleagues remember Dave Gaffney

Dave Gaffney, 63, passed away on June 3 after a brief illness. Selfless, affable, dedicated, and deeply humble are just some of the qualities that family, friends, and colleagues are remembering the former Stratford city councillor for.

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tom Clifford served on Stratford city council for 25 years. In that time, he had never met another councillor as dedicated as Dave Gaffney.

“He was the most informed. He read every bit of material,” Clifford told the Times. “In my opinion, he was one of the best councillors, and I was on council 25 years and worked with, I can't tell you how many councillors.… If anyone was dedicated to the city of Stratford, it was Dave.”

Gaffney, 63, passed away on June 3 after a brief illness. As Clifford said, he was earnestly committed to his home city and devoted his working life to it. He was a long-time volunteer at the YMCA of Stratford-Perth (now known as the YMCA of Three Rivers), the Stratford & District Agricultural Society, the Bard of Avon Housing Co-operative, Heritage Stratford, the City of Stratford’s board of park management, communities in bloom advisory committee, the energy and environment advisory committee and the Stratford Police Services board.

Perhaps Gaffney’s biggest accomplishments come from the two terms he served as a city councillor. He was elected in 2006 and in 2018.

Describing Gaffney as a “little brother,” Clifford was something of a mentor to him, sitting next to him around the horseshoe at city hall and sharing many discussions over the years, whether they were political or personal. Eventually, a working relationship evolved into a genuine friendship. Clifford recalled that when his own wife passed away this year, Gaffney was one of the first people to reach out to him.

Remembering Gaffney, Clifford said that compassion he had was noticeable to anyone.

“He always had a kind word for people,” Clifford said. “I very, very seldom heard Dave say anything bad about anyone. When you're in council, we have (people on the) left, right, centre. We don't always agree with what each person thinks, but he always liked the person regardless. He was likeable and people liked him.”

Clifford added that Gaffney’s legacy was one of selflessness. Despite being of means himself, he said that Gaffney was always concerned about taxes and the pressure those less fortunate faced each year when the budget was debated.

“And I think that’s his legacy, is looking after the ordinary people in Stratford. And he did that for many years, both on and off council.”

Mayor Martin Ritsma, then a councillor, sat on the other side of Gaffney around the horseshoe. Like Clifford, he described Gaffney as selfless.

“He didn't think do things to advance himself,” Ritsma said. “He did things to advance the residents of Stratford and our municipality, and you know that kind of leadership needs to be respected, especially in times like we have now, where frequently people are doing things in the political realm to advance themselves. So utmost respect for David, both as a civic leader, and equally, if not more important, as a friend.

“Dave wasn't one for the limelight. He wasn't one for the spotlight. Dave used his voice sparingly but effectively, if I could put it that way … He was very open minded. He was a good communicator when necessary. But the aspect of communication that he shone in, in my opinion, was listening.”

Like Clifford and Ritsma, other colleagues in the political world have shared their condolences and memories of Gaffney.

“It was an honour to serve with Dave. A true gentleman who loved the City of Stratford. He will be missed,” Coun. Brad Beatty, who served with Gaffney from 2018-2022, wrote in a Facebook post.

Likewise, Perth-Wellington MP John Nater memorialized Gaffney as well.

“He had an unwavering concern for others,” Nater wrote in his own social media post. “Without fail, the first words out of his mouth would be: ‘Hi John, how's Justine doing?'”

For the Gaffney family, above all his community and political work, he was simply a big brother.

Described as an affable and popular man around town, with a fierce work ethic, his brother Dominic Gaffney said he might have picked up those traits from their father, Oliver Gaffney, who likewise was committed to Stratford. Although Dominic didn’t remember him always being so politically active, in recent days he remembered that he served on “the mayor’s committee for youth” when he was in high school – indicative of a lifetime of stalwart dedication to Stratford.

“We’ll miss him and the city will miss him,” Dominic said.

Visitations for Gaffney were held on Sunday, June 8. He was laid to rest the following Monday.

Those wishing to express their sympathy and condolences are asked to make memorial donations to either the Stratford & District Agricultural Society or the Stratford General Hospital Foundation.

The Gaffney family is inviting the public to a celebration of life for Dave on Sunday July 27, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Stratford Country Club.