November 29, 2014
February 9, 1933-November 27, 2014
Woodside, NY
Patrick Cuffe was born in 1933 in Roscommon, Ireland. He grew up working on a farm in difficult times; he would describe the sacrifices regular people had to make during World War II, enduring strict rationing, having large portions of their farms devoted to compulsory tillage. He lost his father to pneumonia while he was a teenager; antibiotics were not readily available at that time. Despite all the hardships he fondly remembered many happy times, and how local people pulled together when faced with adversity. He made way for his siblings to continue on the farm, initially working in England for a spell, and then travelled to New York in the late 1950's, where he was warmly welcomed by his uncle Patrick, fondly known as "Packie", and his family. He quickly found work, and eventually settled in a busy midtown hotel as a doorman. He met his future wife Margaret shortly after and they married in 1960. He was an Irishman at heart and like many others at the time he wanted to return, doing so in 1973. He accomplished an incredible number of construction projects using limited means displaying great talent and ingenuity. He returned to New York in mid 1980 when his successor chose a different career path. He worked with fond memories as a doorman at an apartment building on Park Avenue. He became a devoted and tireless care giver to his wife, Margaret, who developed a long relentless illness prompting his retirement. She passed in 2007, a very difficult time for him. After his retirement he rekindled his love for gardening and construction projects, working on pet projects with great enthusiasm. He spent increasing amounts of time living in Cornwall. He was the # 1 fan club for all his grandchildren's endeavors and followed their accomplishments with a passion. He became ill in December 2012, requiring a prolonged hospitalization, eventually discharged with subsequent ongoing chemotherapy. He fought a long and brave fight. A special thanks to doctors Dr. Karen Seiter and Dr. Umangi Patel, as well as to the staff at The Cornwall Hospital infusion center who cared for him with much kindness. His final days of compassionate care were spent at the Kaplan Hospice Residence in Newburgh.
He is survived by his son, Ron; his daughter-in-law, Marie, grandchildren Aisling, Conor, Dara, and sister Mary, in Ireland; cousins: Mary, Kathleen and Patricia in New York; sister-in-law, Mary Ward, her husband, Jim and their children: Brenda, Lori and Jim. He was predeceased by his brother, Frank and sister, Kathleen.
Visitation will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, December 1 at Quigley Bros., 337 Hudson St., Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY. Mass will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, December 2 at Queen of Angels Church, Sunnyside, NY with burial in Calvary Cemetery, Queens, NY.
Funeral arrangements per Quigley Brothers Funeral Home.
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