Joan R. Pomfrey, 97, passed away at home on Nov. 14, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. Joan was a longtime resident of Fayetteville, and in recent years resided with her daughter Daryl and her family in Clinton, N.Y.
She was born in Manhattan on July 31, 1927, daughter of the late George and Louise Repath. Joan was raised in Mount Vernon, N.Y., and graduated from A.B. Davis High School in 1944. On July 17, 1948, she married Maurice Pomfrey; they shared 60 wonderful years together.
A lifelong lover of music, Joan received her degree in music education from Syracuse University in 1948. During her time at SU, she was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority; she remained active in this local chapter for several decades. Following graduation, Joan was first employed as a music teacher. In the 1970s her husband, Maurice, and their son, Bob, started the employee benefits company POMCO and Joan went to work in the family business. As POMCO grew, Joan assumed the role of secretary and treasurer until her retirement.
Over the years, Joan continued her passion for music with the Spirit of Syracuse Chorus. During the summertime, she would travel to her family home on the Saint Lawrence River where she loved boating, card games and all things flowers. Throughout her life, Joan had several beloved pets including dogs, cats and birds.
Joan will be greatly missed by her two daughters and son; Linda Vaughn of Fayetteville, Daryl (Jim) O’Brien of Clinton, and Robert (Kellie) Pomfrey of Stuart, FL; her beloved grandchildren; McKinley Zalewski (Gary), Jim O’Brien (Michelle), Jeff Vaughn, Dan O’Brien (Amy), Lindsey Brown (Alex), Michael Pomfrey, Alyssa Smith (Colin), and Noelle Pomfrey; her 14 special great grandchildren, niece Donna Vaccaro and her three children Jennifer, Davis, and Elisabeth; cousins Hediya, Leila, and Zoubir (Yazid), and cousins Judy, Bob and Nancy (Panning). She was predeceased by her husband Maurice Pomfrey, daughter Anne Pomfrey, nephew Bill Pomfrey, and her cousins Olive Yazid, Dorothy Gillespie and Dorothy Panning.
The family thanks Brenda Cook, Terry Plumb, Linda Narracci, Lena Wueist, and Julianne Falk for all they did for Joan.
Family and friends called on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, from 5-7pm at Eaton-Tubbs Fayetteville Chapel: 7191 East Genesee Street, Fayetteville NY 13066. Burial services were private.
Please consider donations in Joan’s memory to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo or the CNY Cat Coalition.
For guest book, please visit scheppfamily.com.
