Obituary of Irene L. Chaffee

On the morning of August 8th, surrounded by family, Irene Chaffee, Greenwood New York’s oldest living resident passed away peacefully following a short illness, at the age of 101. If you were to have asked Irene about her life, she would have described it to you with words like simple, or quiet. However, anyone that knew her would have disagreed with these statements. If you were to ask Irene’s sons Gary and Duane, they would undoubtedly describe a mother who never complained, who ruled over their home with an unfailing optimism, who taught them the importance of seeing the best in a person, of serving your community, and of finding something to rejoice in every day. If you were to ask Susan Palmer or Sally Ewell, about the woman who welcomed them into her family upon the passing of their parents, they would regale you with stories of a lively lady with a ready laugh, one who never thought twice about extending her love to encompass them, or their families. That it never would have occurred to Irene to do anything but welcome them with open arms. They would describe a woman with a heart so big that there was enough room for everyone. Irene’s grandchildren, Charina, Erin and Alison, would inevitably speak to you about a woman who nurtured them when they were sick, and who drew them into her embrace when they were hurting. They would talk to you about a grandmother who they watched faithfully and steadfastly nurse their grandfather as he aged. They would tell you of the immense love she had for her husband Lloyd, and how she lived that love out every day of their 72 years together. They would explain how she taught them what love looked like, and defined what it meant to be a wife and mother. The residents of Greenwood would also have a lot to say about Irene. If you were to ask the members of the Greenwood United Methodist Church, they would describe a woman who attended services faithfully, and who showed up for every fundraiser armed with an apple pie or her famous chocolate chip cookies. They would talk to you about her devotion to the people of Greenwood, of her dedication to ensuring that they were nurtured during crisis, or celebrated during times of joy. Irene was also a member of the Greenwood American Legion Auxiliary and was the secretary for the Greenwood Cemetery Association for many years. Its members would tell you stories about a woman who always showed up, who always remembered your name, who never forgot a promise or ignored a need. They would tell you about how Irene always stood at the right hand of her husband, supporting every effort to better the community. The citizens of Greenwood would describe a woman who would always greet them with a smile as they entered the hardware store that she and her husband owned for 28 years. They would speak to the fact that she could do everything from cutting glass, to threading pipe and still have enough time to ask about your wife and kids. And above all else, people would talk about how Irene made them feel, as if they were the only one in the room, and they would leave knowing they were valued and heard, and loved. Toward the end of her life, Irene became a resident of Updykes Quality Care Facility in Hornell. While Irene truly loved her home in Greenwood, she quickly grew to love her new home, in the care of the attentive staff at Updykes. Never one to complain, Irene embraced this new home, and the people in it. They too would have a thing or two to say about Irene. They would tell you that secretly she was their favorite, that she somehow always remembered their children’s names, even at the age of 100. They would talk of her smile, her wit, and her grateful heart. They would describe a woman who strove every day to never be a bother, and who always looked for ways to help, even when that meant something as simple as showing patience and gratitude. Irene knew that the staff at Updykes worked diligently at thankless jobs, but she never let them forget how much she appreciated them. And that is why, in the end, Irene died in the place where she felt most at home, not just among her family, but among the people who loved her and took such good care of her. Irene Chaffee may have considered her life to be ordinary. If asked she would have undoubtedly described a life devoted to her children and husband, to her work, and to the keeping of her home. She would have told you that she lived a quiet life. But for those of us who knew her, for the family and friends she left behind and those who went before her, we all know better. Irene’s life was anything but quiet, anything but ordinary. It is through Irene that we all know that sometimes it’s the quietest lives that speak the loudest. Irene was born April 1, 1923 in the town of West Union, to John and Blanche (Waters) Wallace. On June 25, 1943 in Greenwood, she married Llyod J. Chaffee who predeceased her in January of 2015. She was also predeceased by an infant son, Dale, in January of 1947, and her brother Leo Wallace. She is survived by her two sons, Duane and Betsy Chaffee of Greenwood, Gary and Maria Chaffee of Avon, her granddaughters, Charina (Deyrk) Kraemer of Rochester and daughter Lilly, Erin (Dustin) Wells of Kingwood, TX and children Faith, Ashton, Mia and Ella and Alison (Timothy) Brown of Norwell, MA and children Maxwell and Kaitlin. The family will receive friends from 5-7 pm Monday, August 12, 2024 at the H.P. Smith & Son, Inc. Funeral Home in Canisteo, where funeral and committal services will take place immediately following calling hours at 7:00 pm. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Greenwood, NY. Memorial contributions in Irene’s name may be made to either the Greenwood Cemetery Association, c/o Robert Streeter, 3257 Ste. Rte. 248, Canisteo, NY 14823 or the Greenwood Fire Dept. 751 Andover St. Greenwood, NY 14839. Arrangements are in care of the H.P. Smith & Son, Inc. Funeral Home in Canisteo.