George C. Paffenbarger Jr

Arden, NY

George C. Paffenbarger, Jr. of Arden, an area resident for 47 years, passed away on Saturday, August 2, 2008 at Elant at Goshen, Inc., after a long battle with prostate cancer.

He was born on November 22, 1928 in Columbus, OH, the son of George C. and Rachel A. Paffenbarger. He earned a degree in agricultural science from the University of Maryland in 1950, followed by service in the Quartermaster Corps of the U.S. Army and a period as farm manager in Germantown, Maryland. He came to Arden in 1961, and for 40 years served as Manager of Arden Farms Dairy Company, a privately held farm, land, and property management company. After earning a law degree from Fordham University Law School in 1978, he also pursued a successful law practice in Monroe from 1980 to 1998.

He was an active contributor to and Board member of many non-profit associations, particularly those providing health-related services. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of Arden Hill Hospital, Orange Regional Medical Center, and Elant for 37 years beginning in 1968, President of the Board of Directors of Arden Hill Hospital from 1980 to 1985, President of the Orange County Hospital Association, and prominent member of the Board of Directors of Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties. In light of his many contributions over the years to Arden Hill Hospital and Elant, a non-profit health and housing services organization, the skilled nursing facility at Elant at Goshen was named in his honor in 1985.

He was also deeply involved in harness racing, serving as Director of Goshen Historic Track and its predecessor association for 40 years until 2003, member of the Board of Trustees of the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame for over 30 years, Director of Saratoga Harness Racing, and Trustee of The Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund. His interest in history was served by his membership on the Board of Trustees of Museum Village, 1970 to 1979, and he was an active member of the Orange County Historical Society, 1981 to the present.

He was a member and elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Monroe and sang in its choir for over 45 years.

He is survived by his two sons, George C. Paffenbarger, III of St. Petersburg, FL and John A. Paffenbarger of Towson, MD; his two daughters, Jeanne A. Bock of Salem, OR and Jane P. Butler of Downingtown, PA; his sisters, Gretchen P. Minners of Bethesda, MD and Anne Paffenbarger of N.Y.C.; and ten grandchildren. He was predeceased in 2006 by his wife of 54 years, Jerry, and his daughter Jackie Oddi of Vidalia, GA.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, August 15, at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Monroe, 142 Stage Rd., Monroe, with The Rev. Baron Ashfield officiating.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Elant Foundation (www.elant.org), 46 Harriman Drive, Goshen, NY 10924 or First Presbyterian Church of Monroe, 142 Stage Rd., Monroe, NY 10950.

Funeral arrangements were made by Smith, Seaman & Quackenbush, Inc. Funeral Homes, Monroe. www.ssqfuneralhome.com or 845-782-8185.