Miriam J. Gaffney

Miriam J. Gaffney, 91, of Westridge Road, Carlsbad, NM, passed away Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at Landsun Homes. Cremation has taken place and services will be held Monday, August 17, 2015, 10:00 AM at Epworth United Methodist Church with Rev. Phil Huston officiating. Denton-Wood Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Miriam J. Gaffney was born November 16, 1923 in Weed, New Mexico to Lewis and Ella (McMahon) Means. She moved to Carlsbad with her parents as a young girl and graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1941. Miriam attended Texas Tech University before returning to Carlsbad to work as secretary to the Training Wing Commander at the Carlsbad Army Air Base. There she met one of the bombardier/navigator instructors, F. Blair Gaffney, whom she married November 4, 1944 at Saint Edward Catholic Church. Other than three years in Espanola, Los Alamos, and White Rock in the early 1960s and a few years more recently in Lubbock and Albuquerque, she and Blair remained Carlsbad residents for the next 71 years. Miriam worked as an executive secretary for the Fifth Judicial District Court, Los Alamos National Lab, State of NM Public Service Commission, and also as a secretary for the Potash Company of America (PCA). She was an active member of Epworth United Methodist Church. Miriam's hobbies included reading, studying the bible, and volunteering at church. She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother; husband Blair; sons: Michael Blair Gaffney and Stephen Scott Gaffney; and grandson, Brent Hayden Gaffney. Survivors are three sons: Drew Gaffney and wife, Elizabeth (Burgo) of Nashville, TN, Pat Gaffney and wife, Katy (Sage) of Kerrville, TX, John Gaffney and fiance, Meredith Moss of Gainesville, VA; grandchildren: Andrea Gaffney, Jennifer Mann and husband, Chad, Lauren Gaffney and spouse, Ginger Holt, Christian Gaffney and wife, Stephanie, Ryan Gaffney and wife, Becky; great-grandchildren: Chase Mann, Cayla Mann, Hannah Gaffney, Jayce Gaffney, Joanna Gaffney, Noa Blaire Gaffney, Noah Michael Gaffney, and Theodor and Tilman Gaffney-Holt. Condolences may be expressed at dentonwood.com.