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Samuel GELFAND Obituary
January 28, 1927 - March 8, 2022
Sam Gelfand passed away peacefully at home on March 8, 2022, at age 95, the beloved Papa of Scott (Nancy) Kehoe of Youngstown, NY, Laurie Kehoe of Niagara Falls, NY, and Pamela Kehoe Anderson of Lewiston, NY. Born in Norwich, CT, he was the eldest son of the late Isaac and Sarah Sacks Gelfand. After serving in the US Army from 1944 to 1946, Sam graduated from Yale University in 1950. He went on to receive his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Illinois in 1953. He was employed by Occidental Chemical (formerly Hooker Chemical) for 29 years, retiring in 1982. Sam loved to joke that he "beat the system" by being retired for longer than he worked. In addition to his parents, Sam was predeceased by his loving wife of 46 years, Betty Kehoe Gelfand; his brother Bob (Millie) Gelfand of Philadelphia, PA; and his youngest niece, Carol (Michael) Lowenstein of Armonk, NY. Survived by his dear sister, Miriam (Jack) Bassok of West Hartford, CT, and nieces Robin Kay-Wicker (late Lawrence) of Village, CA, Gail (Ken) Mayland of Vero Beach, Lois Gelfand of Philadelphia, PA, and Karen Gelfand and Martin Gelfand of Fort Collins, CO. Also surviving are his grandchildren, Avian Kehoe, Carly Kehoe, Ella Kehoe, Amber (Alan) DeMonico Currie, Tony DeMonico, and Taylor Belardi, five great-nephews and a great-niece. Sam was a remarkable man with a sharp mind until the very end. He ran the Oxy Retirees Golf League for many years, was an avid reader and online researcher. The internet opened the world of genealogy to Sam, and he was in contact with people all over the globe tracing his family's Jewish heritage back to the 1600s. In lieu of flowers, please honor Sam's memory by performing an act of kindness for another, contributing to Niagara Hospice (4675 Sunset Dr., Lockport, NY), the Western New York Land Conservancy (PO Box 471, East Aurora, NY 14052) or to your favorite charity. Sam was buried in the Jewish tradition at Riverdale Cemetery in a Private Service under the direction of Mesnekoff Funeral Home.
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