Paul Jeffers

1933 - 2020

BELFAST - Paul Jeffers, 86, of 7295 Gleason Hill Road South, passed away peacefully in his home Monday (April 20, 2020).

Paul was born May 5, 1933, at Millard Fillmore Hospital in Buffalo, to Henry Albert and Helen Breckon Jeffers. On Sept. 3, 1960, Paul was married to Susan Lois Bohanan, by Rev. Clifton Bohanan, in Genoa. This September, Paul and Susan would have been married 60 years.

He grew up in Buffalo during World War II in a predominately Jewish neighborhood alongside many Jewish friends. He graduated Bennett High School in 1951. He studied civic engineering at the University of Buffalo.

He served as deacon for the University Presbyterian Church, where his parents were longtime members. He participated in Boy Scouts as both a scout and as a leader. He was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served his country for six years, including two years stationed in Japan during the Japanese Reconstruction.

Much of Paul's life was spent at the family cottage at Rushford Lake, where he enjoyed sailing, a pleasure he would eventually come to share with his children. In 1970, Paul's fondness for Allegany County led him to move his family from Buffalo to the forested hillsides outside Belfast. Paul served as a deacon during his early years as a member of the First Baptist Church of Cuba.

Paul worked as a civil engineer for the Buffalo division of the New York State Department of Transportation. He contributed to the construction of the Southern Tier Expressway and many other road and bridge projects around Allegany and Salamanca. He retired Jan. 1, 2000.

Paul's pleasures were simple pleasures - petting cats, reading and crossword puzzles. He puttered secretly about, fixing what needed fixing, straightening what needed straightening, without anyone ever being the wiser. He took satisfaction simply caring for his land and the creatures that lived there. Many a stray or wounded animal would come to be adopted or cared for by Paul during his 50 years on Gleason Hill.

When his children were small, he read to them every night, even when he was exhausted from hours of mowing grass and shoveling snow. Paul was well liked and respected by everyone in his hillside community and beyond. He was known for his patience and good listening. He charmed everyone with his clever stories, mild humor, and gentle wisdom. His son Clif stated "Dad was the strongest person I ever knew."

Paul persisted in everything that he did, with steady diligence and careful precision, even in his final days when his body started to feel the toll of a long life, well lived. He will be forever missed.

Paul is survived by his wife, Susan; three sons, Christopher (Joy) Nelson-Jeffers of Wausau, Wis., Clifton Paul Jeffers of Rotterdam and Roderick (Kirsten) Jeffers of Wellsville; four grandchildren, Jonathan, Nathan, Logan and Anya; and three great-grandchildren.

There will be no visitation or funeral.

Memorials may be sent to Abbe Freeland, Wild Animal Sanctuary, in Angelica.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Treusdell Funeral Home, Belfast.

Online condolences for the family may be expressed by visiting www.treusdellfuneralhome.com.