WARREN GAFFNEY Obituary

Warren Nicholas Gaffney Jr. Import/export executive and industry leader in the commercial spice trade, father of five with enduring ties to the College of the Holy Cross and finance chair of N.J. GOP, 79 Warren Nicholas "Nick" Gaffney Jr., 79, died peacefully with his family by his side on Saturday, April 8, 2017, at Sunrise of Westfield. A wake will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Monday, April 17, 2017, at Dangler Lewis & Carey Funeral Home, 312 West Main St., Boonton, N.J. Nick's Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 18, 2017, at St. Pius X Church in Montville, N.J. Letters of condolence may be posted at danglerlewisandcareyfuneralhome.com. Nick was born on Aug. 11, 1937, in Elizabeth, N.J., the eldest son of Warren Nicholas and Angela Ewing Gaffney. His childhood days in Roselle and South Orange, N.J., held many a fond memory. He was a proud graduate of St. Joseph's School in Roselle (1951), Seton Hall Prep in West Orange (1955), and the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. (1959). As an active Holy Cross alum, he was known to wear purple in camaraderie and share his house with a life-size crusader. He recruited many N.J. sports stars to Holy Cross teams. The deep bonds he enjoyed and nurtured from his school days became his extended family. Diane Schussler Gaffney was the love of Nick's life. They were married on June 25, 1960, at St. Aloysius Church of Great Neck, N.Y., and his love and devotion over their 60 years together cannot be overstated. They enjoyed raising their family on Lake Valhalla in Montville, N.J., and on the beaches in Stone Harbor, N.J. Nick was a wonderful father to their five children - involved in their activities, wise in his guidance, easy in his laughter, tender in his love. The Gaffney "revolving" door was always opened with a hug or a handshake for countless friends whom he genuinely loved getting to know. Professionally, Nick joined his father-in-law, Kurt Schussler, in building Dammann and Company, an import/export business within the spice trade. Their offices were located in the Empire State Building, and then among the first tenants in the World Trade Center, and finally in Oakland, N.J. Dammann became the largest vanilla importer in the country, and the entities of Malagasy Agencies and Gourmet Club flourished as the first to import green peppercorns among many other spices and gourmet foods. Nick served as the president of the American Spice Trade Association. His work entailed traveling the globe and collecting wonderful business friendships worldwide. He was well loved and respected by his work family. Each time you enjoy the taste or fragrance of real vanilla, think of Nick. Nick was a man of service. After college he proudly served in the N. J. National Guard. Early in his marriage, he served on the Montville Township Committee, and continued his New Jersey political activity for decades including as the N.J. Republican state finance chairman. Throughout his life, Nick volunteered his time and was generous to many causes, including his alma maters, the high school his children attended, Morris Catholic, and as a board member of St. Vincent's Academy in Newark, N.J. Nick will be greatly missed by his four daughters, Corinne Catalano, JuliAnn Ferdenzi, Angela Lynn Gaffney, and Suzanne Vedder, as well as his sons-in-law, Anthony Catalano, Paul Ferdenzi, Bill Backus, and Kevin Vedder and his daughter-in-law, Tatiana Nefedova Gaffney. He was Papa Nick to his grandchildren, Martel Catalano, Troy Catalano, Kurt Ferdenzi, Kaitlin Ferdenzi, Nora Vedder, Seamus Vedder, Declan Vedder, and Genevieve Backus. Nick joined his wife, Diane Schussler Gaffney, and his son, Warren Nicholas (Guy) Gaffney III in eternal peace, along with his parents; his sister, Josephine Dow and brother, Neal Gaffney. In lieu of flowers, Nick asked that donations be made in his name to support special causes affecting two of his grandchildren - retinitis pigmentosa and autism. Please consider donations to Dr. Samuel G. Jacobson's Research Center for Hereditary Retinal Degenerations, Scheie Eye Institute, 51 N 39th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19104 or UCESF - Crossroads School, Attn: Reed Leibfried, 45 Cardinal Dr., Westfield, N.J. 07090.