Obituary of Patricia M. McGrath

Patricia "Trish" "Pat" Buffington McGrath, formerly of 879 Four Mile Road passed away, Sunday, May 25, 2008 in the Absolut at Allegany. Mrs. McGrath was born on Dec. 2, 1922, at the family home on West Sullivan Street, Olean and was the daughter of Henry and Marguerite Stephan Buffington. On March 5, 1946 in ST. Mary of the Angels Church, she married the late Capt. William McGrath (ret.). Mrs. McGrath graduated from St. Mary's Academy in Olean, Olean High School, and Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA. After a year in Syracuse while her husband completed training, they moved to Penn Yan, where he joined the staff of a funeral home and she worked as a paralegal with a tax attorney. In the mid-fifties, they returned to Olean, the Allegany to the family homestead on the Four Mile Road. In the sixties, she took a job with the Cattaraugus County Department of Social Services, working first in Little Valley, then Olean, and retiring in 1986 as Director of Social Services. Mrs. McGrath belonged to St. Bonaventure Parish. She was very active and was well known for her enthusiastic support of St. Bonaventure University basketball, the Buffalo Bills, Friends of Good Music, the Garrett Theater, Olean Community Theater, the opera at Chautauqua and Shea's theater performances. Perhaps her greatest loves were her family and the family home on the Four Mile. She was the family matriarch and kept in contact with family all over the world. She was the center of the family and was loved dearly. She enjoyed nature and loved animals. She always thought of others and her kindness and devotion to family and friends knew no bounds. Mrs. McGrath is survived by one sister, Joanne Buffington of Fort Myers, FL; two sisters-in-laws, Margaret Buffington of Houston, TX and Jerry Chadderdon of Bolivar, NY; a special cousin, Joan Gollaher of Allegany; a special niece, Marianne Buffington Klein of Bolivar, NY; several nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, and great grand nieces and great grand nephews. In addition to her parents and husband, Mrs. McGrath was pre-deceased by five brothers and three sisters -in-laws, Frances and Marjorie Buffington, Henry and Connie Buffington, George Buffington, Robert and Betty Buffington, and Richard Buffington. She is also pre-deceased by three nephews, Roger, Steve and Robert Jeffery Buffington, and a special cousin, Steve Gollaher. Friends will be received on Thursday, May 29, 2008 from 2-4 & 7-9 P.M. in the Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home, Inc. #646 E. State Street, Olean. Funeral Services will be Friday, may 30, 2008 beginning with a prayer service in the Funeral Home at 9:30 AM followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 A.M. The Rev. Richard S. Husted, Pastor, will celebrate. Burial will be in the St. Bonaventure Cemetery, Allegany, NY. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Saint Bonaventure Parish, 15 E. Main Street, Allegany, NY 14706, the Southern Tier Symphony, the local SPCS Rt. 16 Olean, or Joyful Rescues 1319 Turrock DR. Cuba, N.Y. 14727