Rachel M. Gaffney

Rachel Mary (McGarrett) Gaffney, 88, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 16 at Holyoke Hospital. She was born in Springfield and lived all her life in West Springfield. She was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church in Springfield and prior to that she was a communicant of the former Immaculate Conception Church in West Springfield and was a member and President of their Women’s Club. She enjoyed knitting and crossword puzzles. One of Rachel’s blessings was to be part of a close group of lifelong friends, but her greatest joy in life was her children and grandchildren. She lost her husband of 50 years, Thomas P. Gaffney, in 2011. She was the loving mother of Noreen L. Aylward and her husband James of Westfield, Walter J. Gaffney and his wife Suzanne of West Springfield, Kelly Gaffney of Chicopee, who was her caregiver for 10 years, Thomas P. Gaffney, Jr. and his wife Mary Ellen of Suffield, CT, Kevin A. Gaffney and his wife Toni of Plymouth and Sean P. Gaffney and his wife Colleen of Plymouth, devoted grandmother of James and his wife Alexandra, Rachel, Benjamin, Brenna, Timothy, Jack, Chris, Thomas III, Ryan, Addison, Dylan, Quinn, Reese, Knox, and Brady. She also leaves her sister-in-law Kathleen Puhala and her husband James and several nieces and nephews and was predeceased by her siblings: William McGarrett, Ellen Linnehan, Pat Wheeler, and Ruth McKay. The wake will be Wednesday from 4-6 pm at the TOOMEY-O’BRIEN FUNERAL HOME, 1043 Westfield Street, West Springfield. The funeral will be Thursday 9 am at the funeral home followed by a 10 am Funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Springfield. There will be an 11 am Committal Service at the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Agawam. In lieu of flowers, donations in Rachel’s name may be made to the Exposition Area Alumni Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 124, West Springfield MA 01090. For more information, please visit www.toomeyobrien.com .