Deacon Harley H. Chaffee

Deacon Harley H. Chaffee, 84, of Geneseo, went home to meet his Lord and Savior on Friday, October 29, 2021, at OSF – St Francis Medical Center, Peoria, IL.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, at St. Malachy Catholic Church, Geneseo.  Father Daniel Gifford will officiate.  Burial will follow at North Cemetery, Geneseo.  A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, November 1, 2021, at Vandemore Funeral Homes & Crematory – Geneseo Chapel.  A Recitation of the Rosary will be held at 7 p.m. at the funeral home, on Monday.  Memorials may be directed to St. Malachy Church and Hillcrest Home Activity Fund.

Harley was born March 27, 1937, the son of John and Ethel (Stahl) Chaffee, in Santa Barbara, California.  He graduated Geneseo High School, class of 1955, where he ran the 440 in under a minute in 1952.  He proudly served in the United States Navy.  He married the love of his life, Mary Richter, on March 30, 1959, at St. Malachy Catholic Church.  Together they raised five daughters.  Harley went to barber college, enjoyed welding, and was a “general jack of all trades”.  He owned and operated Harley’s Wooden Nickel Dry Cleaners for several years.  In 1983, he started his journey as a Deacon, and has proudly served his community ever since.  He especially loved spending time with his family and friends.  He will be forever remembered by his friends for the heartfelt love he shared with his beloved wife, Mary.

Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife, Mary; daughters, Brenda (Rod) Chaffee-Pullman, Sue (Mike) Ford, Cindy (Joe) Panicucci, Jody (Harvey) Chaffee-Morton, and Denise (Chris) Welch, all of Geneseo; grandchildren, Eric (Kayla Schubert) Ford, Geneseo, Lisa (Steve) Yager, Geneseo, Jen Ford, Charlotte, NC, Tyler (Anna) Morton, Geneseo, Rachel Morton, Geneseo, Josh Morton, Geneseo, Aaron Pullman, Geneseo, Colin (Jess) Pullman, Geneseo, Ethan Pullman, Geneseo, Samuel (Sierra Sommer ) Welch, Geneseo, Conner Welch, Geneseo, Andie Welch, Geneseo, Anthony (Jenna) Panicucci, Geneseo, Nathan (Fawn Schultz) Panicucci, Geneseo, Corey Panicucci, and Cameron (Paige) Panicucci, Geneseo; great- grandchildren, Jackson Panicucci, Blake Panicucci, Camille Pullman, Colette Pullman, Clea Pullman, Reed Yager, Cole Yager, Elijah Ford, Brendan Cooksey, and Conner Ford; brother, John Allen Chaffee; and sister, Delores Holliday.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Ethel Chaffee.