Irene Lenora Chaffee

Irene Lenora Chaffee, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on October 19, 2025, at Cayuga Medical Center, entering her eternal rest with the Lord.

Born on March 24, 1927, in Ithaca, New York, Irene was the daughter of the late George and Marion (Thomas) Baker. Irene graduated from Charles O. Dickerson High School, and following her graduation, she attended and graduated from the Robert Packer School of Nursing. She married her childhood sweetheart in 1950. Irene and her beloved husband, Wilfred, lived in Orlando, FL, where she worked as a private duty nurse, and they started their family. They moved back up North and had the joy of building their home together. She worked as a registered nurse at the Tompkins County Health Department, retiring after 20 years of employment. She loved all her patients, and they loved her in return, appreciating the loving care she extended to each one.

Irene enjoyed various hobbies that highlighted her creativity and love for family. She found joy working amongst her flower gardens while listening to the various songbirds around her. An avid quilter, Irene poured her love into creating beautiful quilts for each grandchild upon their graduation. Family gatherings were vibrant and full of life, as Irene thrived in the kitchen. She was celebrated for her delightful Sunday dinners and amazing baking skills, in which she was always trying new recipes to share with her family. Her cherished long walks on sunny days, especially during the colorful fall, were a testament to her appreciation of her Creator and His beauty all around her. With a heart devoted to her faith, she was an active Christian who loved the Lord deeply, often joyfully singing the old hymns that echoed through her home and while she was out on her walks.

Irene touched many lives, brought joy to many hearts with her giving and sacrificial ways, and was an example of “love” in the complete sense of the word to her family.

Irene is survived by her two children, Stephanie Snedeker and Craig (Kathy) Chaffee; five grandchildren, Benjamin (Sarah) Snedeker, Sarah (John) Sears, Jordan (Rachel) Snedeker, Rachael Chaffee, and Elisha Chaffee; and eleven great-grandchildren, Julia, Owen, and Wilfred Snedeker, Eden, Emory, Elise, and Ethan Sears, Lincoln, Elianna, and Josephine Snedeker, and Oliver Chaffee; sister, Joyce Eisenhut; and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Irene was preceded in death by her husband, Wilfred "Wil" Chaffee; her sisters, Edith Waugh and Helen Baker; and son-in-law Terrence Snedeker.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at West Hill Community Church, 3049 Van Dorn Corners Rd, Ithaca.