Father Tiffany’s more than 50 years as a priest included serving at 15 parishes

By Joe Ruff

The Catholic Spirit

Father Eugene Tiffany, who retired from active ministry in 2012 and celebrated his 50th anniversary as a priest last year, died April 27. He was 77.

A native of Minneapolis who was ordained in 1972, Father Tiffany ministered at 15 parishes across the archdiocese. He also served at the chancery in St. Paul, Risen Christ Catholic School in Minneapolis and Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield.

“He was well-liked wherever he went,” said his sister, Estelle Gunkel of Elk River. “He was very gregarious. He could be silly and extremely serious. He was a take charge kind of person.”

Father Tiffany played hockey in a men’s group and loved to ride his bicycle, Gunkel said. He enjoyed working with contractors on church building projects and other needs, she said.

He loved being a parish priest, Gunkel said. “He really engaged with young families. He wanted to be part of their faith lives.”

He had a stroke in 2010, which over time may have contributed to his suffering from dementia in recent years, she said. April 22, all six of his siblings and other family members gathered around for an anointing of the sick with Father Jeff Huard, a spiritual director at The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, who delivered the homily at his funeral, Gunkel said.

The funeral Mass with Archbishop Bernard Hebda presiding was May 9 at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, followed by a luncheon. Interment was at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights.

Father Huard said his first assignment as a priest was associate pastor of All Saints in Lakeville while Father Tiffany was pastor. “He and I from that day on forged a deep friendship through the years,” he said. Father Tiffany was instrumental in building the present All Saints church, Father Huard said. “He was a skilled carpenter and tradesman,” the priest said. “He loved all the details.”

He led the parish staff with grace, recognizing people’s need to be with family, particularly when it came to difficult times in people’s lives, Father Huard said. “There wasn’t drama when Gene was involved,” he said. “He was very adept. He was family first.”

That same forthright and fair leadership was reflected in Father Tiffany’s actions when he served as director of priestly life and ministry at the chancery from 2008 to 2010, Father Huard said. “You had that feeling, ‘he will handle it. He’ll tell me and work a plan with me.’ He honored easily and loved deeply,” Father Huard said.

Toward the end of Father Tiffany’s life, Father Huard met him every week for coffee. “He was one of my great friends in life,” Father Huard said.

One of Father Tiffany’s brothers, Kevin, of St. Vincent de Paul in Osseo, said Father Tiffany pitched in to help family members with any number of needs, including home remodeling or construction projects. His brother once built his own cabin at a lake, he said.

“He was very much family oriented,” Kevin Tiffany said. “Anything came up, he was always there.”

Carved into Father Tiffany’s gravestone are images depicting two of his greatest loves: a chalice with the Eucharist on the left, and two hockey sticks at the lower right, his brother said. In between are his name with dates of his birth, ordination and death.

Before his retirement, Father Tiffany was parochial administrator of St. Boniface in Minneapolis for a year. He served at All Saints in Minneapolis in 2012 and Immaculate Conception in Columbia Heights from 2011 to 2012.

Ordained June 3, 1972, his ministry also included: Holy Spirit in St. Paul (2006-2009), St. Andrew and St. Mark in St. Paul (2009), St. Olaf and Risen Christ Catholic School, both in Minneapolis (2004-2006), All Saints in Lakeville (1992-2004), Holy Trinity in South St. Paul (1985-1992), St. Henry in Monticello (1981-1985), Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield (1980-1981), Immaculate Heart of Mary in St. Paul (1980-1981), St. Peter in Richfield (19771980), Sacred Heart in Robbinsdale (1976-1977), Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul (1973-1976) and St. Matthew in St. Paul (1972-1973).

You live a faith-filled life. You participate in the sacraments. You pray and read scripture. You share generously of your time and talents. And your parish is at the center of it all.

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