DOWNEY —  David Gafin, a prolific civic leader who dedicated much of his adult life to Downey community service, culminating in his election to the Downey city council and a term as mayor, died June 25 following a battle with cancer. He was 65.

Gafin’s imprint on the city stretches across various sectors, from public safety (he was a past president of Gangs Out of Downey) to business (past president of the Downey Chamber of Commerce).

He was also instrumental in the development of Downey’s only dog park, which is named in his honor.

“He was a true gentleman in every respect of the word,” said city manager Gilbert Livas. “He was honorable, courteous, respectful, and dedicated to the community.

“He was very cerebral about certain things, especially when it came to finances. He was also very passionate about serving.”

An accountant by trade, Gafin’s deftness with numbers made him popular among local non-profits. He volunteered extensively with the Downey Chamber of Commerce, as a board member, then president, and later a lifetime ambassador.

He served as chairman of two important chamber committees: the Downey Christmas Parade and the Street Faire, both popular Downey events.

He was a two-time president of Downey Los Amigos Kiwanis, a service club he joined in 1984, and also belonged to the Downey Coordinating Council and the now defunct Citizens for Downey.

“Dave was a wonderful, caring and thoughtful family man who cared deeply about the city of Downey,” said Kiwanis President Claude Bilodeau. “He volunteered much of his time for the betterment of our community and his absence will be deeply felt. Our condolences and prayers are with his family.”

Gafin won a seat on the Downey City Council in 2004 and immediately put his financial expertise to work, helping Downey grow its financial reserves. This would prove critically important four years later when the global financial crisis hit; Downey was able to weather the storm without extensive disruptions to local programs or service.

“I was fortunate as a city manager to have a wide variety of professionals on the council and certainly having someone who knew numbers as a CPA was always beneficial,” said Livas. “He asked good questions, delved in the details, and made sure we were being fiscally responsible to the community. That’s something I always appreciated.”

Gafin cast several critical votes while on the city council, including the crucial swing vote that brought Porto’s Bakery to Downtown Downey.

“Downey had no better servant during his eight years in office,” said Mario Guerra, who served with Gafin on the city council. “We collaborated a lot and I was proud to call him a friend.”

Gafin also voted to open a farmers market in Downtown Downey and to rename Clark Avenue to Columbia Way, both controversial decisions at the time.

In 2007, Gafin was chosen by his council colleagues to become mayor of Downey, a critical time for the city with the onset of the nation’s financial crisis.

Meanwhile, Gafin had to contend with another crisis but this time on a local level: testing revealed elevated bacteria levels in Downey’s water supply. Restaurants were forced to close and residents were advised to boil their water. (Subsequent tests revealed Downey’s water was safe and the first test result was faulty.)

After winning re-election in 2008, Gafin became involved in negotiations to have Tesla open a manufacturing plant in Downey. Tesla ultimately opted for a Northern California facility but CEO Elon Musk was complimentary of Downey in a letter to city officials.

Term limits forced Gafin off the city council in 2012 but he remained active in the community, particularly with the Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis. He chaired the Measure S citizens bond oversight committee, ensuring that proceeds of the tax increase approved by Downey voters were properly spent.

“I always thought, ‘What’s best?’ Not for me or the city staff per se, but what’s best for the whole community,” Gafin said of his approach to public office in a 2019 interview with the Downey Patriot. “And if it went contrary to what people thought, and they couldn’t explain it to me to change my mind, I didn’t mind being on the bottom end of a vote.

“Politician? No, I never wanted to be one.”

Originally from Lynn, Mass.,Gafin was only 6 when his family moved to Downey. He went through the Downey school system, attending Alameda and Gauldin elementary schools, Woodruff Junior High School, and Downey High School. He was inducted into Downey High’s Hall of Fame in 2008.

He earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Accounting from Cerritos College (graduating with honors) and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (with an emphasis in accounting) from Cal State Fullerton.

After a few years working for large accounting firms, he started his own practice and never looked back. He’d be self-employed for 33 years as a certified public accountant, selling his office in 2017.

In the early 1980s, Don Dixon got Gafin involved with the Downey Chamber of Commerce. And when you’re an accountant by trade, all the local non-profits and service clubs inevitably will ask you to serve as treasurer. Gafin usually obliged.

“I was incredibly sad to hear about David Gafin’s passing,” said Mayor Blanca Pacheco. “He was such an amazing man who gave so much to the community. We will miss him.”

Jennifer DeKay, publisher of the Downey Patriot, first met Gafin in 1990 when she was a princess on the Miss Downey Court.

“He was very genuine and real,” DeKay recalled. “Being new to the court, you didn’t really know a lot of people and he was one of the first to come up and make sure you were OK and meeting people. He was very welcoming.”

Gafin always supported the Downey Rose Float Association, DeKay added.

“From Parade of Winners, to casino night, to our murder mystery shows, he was always the first to buy a ticket and show support,” she said.

Dorothy Pemberton met Gafin as a member of Downey Soroptimist. They performed in five studio productions at the Downey Theatre, fundraisers for the Downey community.

“I always seemed to play his love interest or the girl he had to hide,” Pemberton laughed. “He was such a focused person; serious, always knew his lines. He would get upset when others forgot them.”

Pemberton recalled asking him once how he dealt with the constant criticism that comes with being a public official.

“He said, ‘You gotta be honest and do what you think is right,’” Pemberton said. “People elected you to do what’s right.”

David Gafin is survived by his wife, Brenda; son, Brent Gable; daughter-in-law, Trisha; and grandchildren Mika and Noah Gable.

In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations to Downey Los Amigos Kiwanis, P.O. Box 1052, Downey CA 90240.