Irene A. Wilfeard

March 19, 1924 - November 27, 2014

COOPERSTOWN - Irene Ada Wilfeard, 90, passed away Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2014, at the Focus Rehabilitation and Nursing Center at Otsego.  

Born in the United Kingdom March 19, 1924, in the Acton District of West London, England, she was the daughter of Bernard and Irene Edith Childs.  

During World War II, she met Herbert B. Wilfeard, who was serving with the United States Army. Proud to be a "war bride", Irene married Herbert on June 2, 1945, in a ceremony at St. Dunstan's Church in East Acton, London. Irene stayed another year in England, and then moved to the United States to join her husband, becoming a United States citizen in 1956.

The Wilfeards first resided in Rochester and later moved to the Cooperstown area. She was employed by the Campbell Estate as head of housekeeping for Dorothy and Joseph Campbell and later Judy and W.T. Sampson Smith. She then went to work as a nurse's aide at the Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home, where she enjoyed working with Patricia Taugher and Irene Kelly.  

A member of the Native Daughters of Cooperstown, she was a former member of the Pierstown Grange and the Fly Creek Volunteer Fire Department Women's Auxiliary. 

Her family will always remember her stories of growing up in England, including how she and her family dealt with the hardships of World War II. Perhaps one of Irene's fondest memories was when she was formally introduced to the Queen Mother.

Irene always loved being with her children and grandchildren. She is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Nedena and Ronald Swift of Worcester, Holly and Edward Pearsall of Newport, and Peggy and Alan Basile of Cooperstown; two sons and three daughters-in-law, David M. and Elizabeth Wilfeard of Cooperstown, Bradley K. and Kathleen Wilfeard of Burlington Flats, and Judy P. Wilfeard of Massachusetts; nine grandchildren, Andrea Wilfeard, Ashlie and fiancĂ©, Albert Dawson, Jon-Michael and David Wilfeard II, Ronald F. Swift, Jr. and wife, Kerri, Aaron Pearsall,  Ashley Schook and husband, David, Bernard L. Wilfeard, Jr. ("BJ") and wife, Jessica, and Renee Duda and husband, Brian;  seven great grandchildren, Katelynn Fairchild, Tyler Wilfeard, Bernard L. Wilfeard III ("Trey"), Hunter Wilfeard,  Kelsey Swift,  Caleb Swift and Mary Lynn Nedena Mattison; her niece, Rita, and her two daughters, Danielle and Cassandra, of England; and one great great grandson, Gabriel.  

She was predeceased by her husband, Herbert B. Wilfeard, who died February 4, 1983; a son, Bernard Leigh Wilfeard, who died October 21, 1999; a grandson, Brian Keith Wilfeard, who died at birth on November 10, 1970; and a brother, Roy Whiting, and his wife, Doris.

A graveside service will be offered in the Spring of 2015 in Fly Creek Valley Cemetery, with the Rev. Betsy Jay, Chaplain at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, officiating.

There will be no calling hours.

Memorial gifts may be directed to the Susquehanna Animal Shelter, 4841 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, NY  13326.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.


If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.