Rochester- Frances G. “Jerry” Chadderdon, 90, passed away from COVID on Sunday, January 31, 2021. She had been in memory care for a year in Rochester, near her daughter Mary and her family. Jerry was a native of Bolivar with close family ties to Allegany. She was born on November 3, 1930 in Olean, daughter of Francis “Frank” and Amelia Gerringer Hungerford. Jerry married Richard “Dick” J. Buffington Sr. on September 17, 1949; he preceded her in death in 1979. She married Clair J. Dunn in 1981 who preceded her in death in 1999. She married LaVerne “Bones” “Chad” W. Chadderdon on June 19, 2005 and was devastated by his death on November 11, 2019. She graduated from Bolivar Central School in 1948, attended the University of Michigan and enjoyed numerous humanities and social sciences courses, into her 80’s. Jerry taught in Olean aea Catholic schools before she and Dick adventurously “packed up the kids” in 1961, camping across country to settle in what is now Silicon Valley. There, she loved her jobs at Sylvania (G.E.) and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department. In 1969 the family moved back to western NY to Allegany. She worked for many years in administration at St. Francis Hospital followed by employment at Manufacturers Hanover Bank Olean Trust Dept and Cattaraugus Co. Community Action. She came full circle, living most of her final years in Bolivar. She was a member of the Nile Community Church. Before moving back to Bolivar, she was active in St. Bonaventure Parish and the Allegany Area Historical Association; in Bolivar she was an enthusiastic supporter of the Pioneer Oil Museum.
Fred Rogers’s mother’s famously said “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” That was Jerry. She helped at the Warming House, on a mission trip with St. Bonaventure’s to Vietnam, with Meals on Wheels, and for a full year in KY with the Christian Appalachian Project. From childhood, she loved being outdoors, from picnics out on the Trio oil lease and at Rock City, under redwoods in Big Basin, in Allegany State Park, and as a snowbird on Florida beaches. She taught her children and grandkids the same, taking them to Allegany State Park for card games, puzzles, orch sitting and to Bucher Hollow for berry-picking and memories. Her roots were always in Ireland where she traveled as an adult and in the oil fields of the Southern Tier and she made sure to pass those roots on.
Surviving are three children, Lynn (Don Nguyen) Buffington of Beavercreek Ohio, Mary (Ricardo) Adams of Rochester, and Rick (Ann) Buffington of Portville and five beloved grandchildren (Elizabeth Nguyen of Boston, Erin Shoemaker of Rochester, Jonathan Nguyen of Philadelphia, Sarah and Maya Adams of Rochester), beloved great grandson Atom Shoemaker of Rochester and special sister-in law Mary “Mac” Hungerford. She was close to step-children Craig Chadderdon of Scottsville, Greig “Rusty” Chadderdon of Caledonia, Kathy Tucci of Avondale, PA, and Kyle Chadderdon of Caledonia.
She was preceded in death in 2015 by daughter Kath Buffington with whom she shared a beautiful voice and a passion for singing. Jerry loved music, especially musicals, John Denver and Frank Sinatra, and she performed with Olean Community Theater in the 1980’s. She is also predeceased by her beloved sisters and singing partners, Mary Fitzsimmons and Patricia Smyke with whom she cherished numerous week-long and much celebrated family reunions of the extended Hungerford family. She is also predeceased by special sister-in-law Patricia “Trish” Buffington McGrath and special cousin Tom Sullivan.
The family expresses their heartfelt appreciation to the staff of Rochester Presbyterian Home and Manor Hills Assisted Living of Wellsville. A memorial service will be held at a later date with burial in Maple Lawn Cemetery Bolivar, her chosen engraving: “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back.” Memorials to Mt. Irenaeus Franciscan Retreat Box 100 West Clarksville N.Y. 14786.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Schaffner Funeral Home Inc. Bolivar.
