Obituary of Robert S. Guiffreda

Robert S. Guiffreda, 58, of 108 Johnson St., Fredonia, died at 3:20 a.m. Wednesday, October 30, 2013 following a courageous three year battle with brain cancer. He was born in Jamestown on October 8, 1955, the son of Marian Gollnick Guiffreda and the late Salvatore "Sam" Guiffreda. A 1973 graduate of Panama Central School, Bob received his Associate degree from Jamestown Community College, Bachelor and Masters degrees from Fredonia State University, and earned additional advanced degrees in both education and administration. His career in education included teacher, Assistant Principal and Superintendent at Southwestern Central School, High School Principal for Chautauqua Lake Central School, and Superintendent of Frontier Central School. He retired in December of 2011 as District Superintendent of Erie 2 Chautauqua Cattaraugus BOCES. Bob was a member of many professional organizations and state associations, as well as active in numerous civic and community groups. He had received a number of honors and awards, most recently the 2011 Chautauqua County School Boards Association 'Friend of Education Award'. Bob was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, cousin and trusted friend. He enjoyed wood carving, the outdoors and fishing, travel and wine making. He always felt education was very important and that an educated person could do anything. Bob did anything and everything to see his loved ones happy; they know he will watch over them now as he always has. He led by example and his family will continue to live out his legacy. Surviving is his wife, Cindy McCann Guiffreda, whom he married April 15, 1978; three children: Dr. Natalie (Patrick) Swanson of Fredonia, Dr. Laurie (Matthew) Sicard of Lafayette, LA, and Anthony Guiffreda of Fredonia; three grandchildren: Josephine and John Swanson of Fredonia, and Louis Sicard of Lafayette; his mother, Marian "Tina" Guiffreda of Jamestown; three sisters: Susan (Carl) Davis and Karen (Joe) Moynihan, both of Ashville and Stephanie (Jason) Casel of Virginia Beach, VA; step-mother, Kathleen Guiffreda of Jamestown; and a step-brother, Gary Galek of Liverpool, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Monday in St. James Catholic Church. The Rev. John L. Kuhlmann will be celebrant. Burial will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday in the Lind Funeral Home, where a Christian Wake Service will be led at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Robert Guiffreda Memorial Scholarship Fund for Panama Central School, c/o the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, 418 Spring St., Jamestown, NY 14701.