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The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Mahaffa Jr., Roy Columbia
Roy Columbia Mahaffa Jr. of Iowa City died after a brief illness on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics surrounded by his loving family. A graveside service will be held at a later date in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Moweaqua, Ill.
Roy was born Oct. 5, 1926, in Des Moines to Roy Sr. and Mabel (Pedersen) Mahaffa. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1944 and immediately began two years of service in the Navy. While in the Navy, he sailed on two destroyer escorts in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He graduated from Iowa State University in 1950 with a major in mechanical engineering. He was a sales engineer for several equipment manufacturers in Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Chicago and Rockford, Ill. Roy married Barbara (Gregory) Mahaffa in 1957 and lived in Rockford, Ill., for 50 years before moving to Iowa City in 2007.
Roy was a member of Centennial United Methodist Church while in Rockford and St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Iowa City. He was a volunteer at Rockford Memorial Hospital for many years. He was an avid fan of his children's athletic teams and loved to travel. He was proud to have traveled to each of the 50 states and the Panama Canal.
Roy is survived by his wife, Barbara; son, Gregory (Mary) of Iowa City; daughters, Julie (Randy) Gates of Tucson, Ariz., and Sarah (Kevin) Miller of Stanwood, Wash.; grandchildren, Elizabeth and Maggie Mahaffa and Aida and Forrest Miller; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Roy was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Mabel Mahaffa; and his five sisters, Marjorie Churchill, Esther O'Connor, Betty Mahaffa, Laura Mae McKay and Corinne Young.
A special thanks to Pastor Denny Coons and Parish Nurse Carol Tippe at St. Mark's United Methodist Church and our caring friends and relatives.
Memorials may be made to St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Centennial United Methodist Church, or Palliative Care Fund at The University of Iowa Foundation.
Online condolences and memories may be left for the family at under obituaries.
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