Obituary of Maj-Britt S. Traynor

Maj-Britt S. Traynor, 95, of Bemus Point, N.Y., passed away peacefully in her home on Monday April 5, 2021. Maj-Britt was born in Varmland, Sweden on May 7, 1925. She immigrated to the United States with her parents, Carl Oscar Anderson and Linnea S. Gustafson Anderson in 1931 and like so many others grew up as a proud Swedish-American in Jamestown, N.Y. After moving to Bemus Point, N.Y. she was graduated from Bemus Point Central School in 1944. She continued her education attending Alfred University and Jamestown Business College. She served as Youth Ambassador to Finland, US representative to Operation Democracy in Denmark, served on the New York State Town Affiliation Committee, and the Young Adult Civic Council. Building community and bringing people together was very important to her throughout her life, especially evident as a member of the Sister Cities Affiliation Program. While continuing the celebration and promotion of her Swedish heritage was a lifelong activity, so too was the value she put on becoming an American Citizen and celebrating and respecting all that she enjoyed living her life in the United States. She was especially proud of her participation in the creation of the Town of Ellery Veterans Memorial and continued to honor those who served and serve their country throughout her life, one of which was her husband, a veteran of WWII. After just shy of a decade of post war courting, she married Donald O. "Pint" Traynor on December 31, 1955. If there is such a thing as a perfect match, this union was exactly that. After marriage, Maj-Britt entered partnership with her husband and other family members in operating Traynor's Restaurant. For thirty-nine years Traynor's Restaurant provided a place for locals and vacationers alike to enjoy each other's company, celebrate victories, tell fish stories, dance to the sound of a live piano, spin records on the juke-box, and delight in what many have called the best hand-cut French fries ever served. The couple also worked for over thirty years during the off season as school bus drivers for the Bemus Point School District and greatly enjoyed the kids they transported to and from school, and many championship games. She also served as board member for Bemus Point Central School and was a PTA member. Maj-Britt was a hard worker and enjoyed the satisfaction of making things happen behind the scenes. She was always willing to cook and serve at church suppers, social gatherings, and benefit events. She contributed to Little Theater, both in front of and behind the curtain, many times over the decades of her life. For many years she was known as "the friendly cookie lady" for The Jamestown Harmony Express, making weekly calls to secure cookies to be served to her husband and other barber shoppers during breaks at their weekly practices. She greatly enjoyed all things related to Scandinavian Studies, especially Swedish folk dancing which she performed for many years and later enjoyed watching her daughter perform. She was an active participant in many local civic organizations and societies, and above all loved participating in countless family adventures that will be cherished forever. A faithful follower of Jesus Christ and blessed with the gift of sharing her faith with others, Maj-Britt and her husband were proud charter members of St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Bemus Point. She was active in many outreach programs including Lutheran Braille Workers, St. Susan's Soup Kitchen, WCA Hospital Chaplain Volunteers, and The Honduras Promise Children Mission. She is preceded in death by her husband Donald O. Traynor, and her brother, Tobie Anderson. She is survived by their three children, Sarah Traynor Goebel of Bemus Point, Leon Carl Traynor of Davie, Florida, and Donald Britt Traynor of Bemus Point. She enjoyed the love of her three grandchildren: Michael (Lindsay Stockman) Goebel of East Schodack, NY, Linnea Christina Goebel of Denver, Colorado, Steven (Jessica Kaffka) Goebel of Harrisburg, along with her great-grandson Liam Christopher Goebel. She also leaves great-niece Jessica M. (Lindboom) and husband Paul Woodin of Frederick, Maryland, as well as many cousins she loves dearly in both the United States and Sweden. The family would like to thank our friends and neighbors for all the love and support they have shown over the past several years as "Team Maj-Britt" came together to provide the opportunity to enable her to remain in her home and enjoy a high quality of life with family, her pets, and friends. We are thankful for the skill, respect, and love provided by her caregivers, especially Amanda Skinner, Aubrin Penhollow, and Deseree Johnson. The wonderful support provided by the Hospice team including RNs Amy Carmen and Mary Moore, Social Worker Julie Nagel, Music Therapist Gretchen Golibersuch, and Chaplain Jim Witherington was immeasurable. A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 25th at 1:00pm at St. Timothy Lutheran Church, 3748 Rt. 430, Bemus Point, N.Y. Both indoor and drive-in options will be provided to attend to health guidelines at that time. Memorial donations may be made to St. Timothy Lutheran Church, PO Box 9190, Bemus Point, N.Y., 14712, with memo: "Honduras Promise Children", or to Chautauqua Hospice and Palliative Care, 20 W. Fairmount Ave, Lakewood, N.Y., 14750, with memo: "Our House", which is the new Hospice Home slated to open in the Fall. To share a memory or leave a condolence for the family, please visit www.lindfunealhome.com.