Thomas A. Gaffey, M.D.
Wednesday, December 14, 1938
Date of Death:
Friday, April 3, 2026
Age:
87 years old
Visitation
Date: Thursday April 23, 2026
Time: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home [ view map ]
Second Visitation
Date: Friday April 24, 2026
Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church [ view map ]
Funeral Mass
Date: Friday April 24, 2026
Time: 11:00 am
Location: St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church [ view map ]
Burial
Location: Mt. Calvary Cemetery
Wednesday, December 14, 1938
Date of Death:
Friday, April 3, 2026
Age:
87 years old
Wednesday, December 14, 1938
Date of Death:
Friday, April 3, 2026
Age:
87 years old
Thomas A. Gaffey, M.D.
Thomas Anthony Gaffey, M.D. aged 87, passed away on April 3, 2026, with loved ones at his side.
He was the oldest of four boys in a family rooted in Pittsburgh, PA. While a medical student at St. Louis University, a 3-month elective in Surgical Pathology opened a door for him at the Mayo Clinic. Little did he know that the rest of his life, career, and family lay on the other side.
Following his internship at Boston Children’s Hospital, and residency at Mayo, medical education was interrupted to serve with the U.S. Army in Vietnam where he received the Bronze Star Award.
He returned to Rochester in 1972 as a member of the staff in Surgical Pathology, and the faculty of Mayo Medical School which started in that year. His academic career spanned 36 years. An extensive list of his scientific publications includes many resulting from collaborating with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He served as a Residency Program Director from 1980-1988 and was Secretary of the Staff in 1995. Several professional societies honored him for providing significant service.
A marvelous mentor, Dr. Malcolm Dockerty, initiated the new doctor to Saturday morning winter wood-splitting expeditions, recruiting and a lifelong Izaak Walton League Rochester member. He was an ardent supporter of the Choral Arts Ensemble, and Board member in it’s earlier days. In retirement, Learning Is Forever (LIFE), the adult learning program sponsored by Rochester Community College, consumed his interest, as he worked on its committees and Board.
He and Lynne were married in Dubuque, Iowa in 1972, and made their home in Rochester where they raised their two sons, born 6 years apart to parents born 12 years apart. They were treasured experiences. Famous for efficiency in loading a dishwasher and packing car trunks for family vacations, he enjoyed purposeful travel and rarely missed the annual Mayo Alumni Association meeting. Tom would drop everything to talk with his boys, sometimes regaling them with side-splitting, 1950’s stories about growing up in an urban Irish neighborhood.
His wife Lynne survives him, and sons Tom (Shannon), and Jim (Lauren). He is extremely proud of six grandchildren whom he visited frequently: Thomas, Peter, and Katie of Palo Alto, Mikey, Bridget, and Rachel in Chicago.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 24, 2026, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. A Visitation will be held the night prior from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church.
Burial will take place the following day on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Dubuque, Iowa.
Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com
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Condolences
The family of Thomas A. Gaffey, M.D. has received the following condolences.
Lynne and Family!
You are in my thoughts and prayers. Tom was so incredibly kind and supportive of me and the LIFE Program. I will cherish the memory of the dinner at Foundation House and the thoughtfulness he showed me. Hugs of Comfort.
One of our Mayo Legends, Dr. Thomas Gaffey, has passed away. About a year ago I wrote about the origin of the GYN sub-specialty group. Tom was GYN pathology when I did my fellowship here in 1985. Tom was also the pathology residency director. Each of the surgical pathologists on the staff at the time at a unique approach to problems encountered in the lab. Tom was a brilliant diagnostician. He connected and remained connected with those he met and mentored. Dr. Peter Banks said, “We lost our historian for that epic age of Mayo.” His obituary speaks of “side-splitting stories” of growing up in the fifties. He had a way of telling stories of our pathology roots that were equally side-splitting. Some of us in the practice have worked with Tom for many years. He did a great deal for patients, taught and mentored many residents, and was a strong connection to our clinical colleagues. Every time I spoke to or saw Tom he asked about the practice and those in the practice including new folks (he knew their names even though he never worked with them). He was a people person and truly cared. He will be greatly missed. My condolences to The Gaffey family.
Gary
My condolences to the Gaffey family. Tom was my cousin and remember him having a great sense of humor.