Dr. John Taft Chaffey

Published 7:45 pm Tuesday, June 10, 2014

July 26, 1927 – May 21, 2014

John Taft Chaffey, 86, passed away, surrounded by his family, on May 21, 2014. Born in Los Angeles on July 26, 1927, he grew up in Palm Springs and was drafted into the US Army in 1945 on his 18th birthday. He completed basic training twice, (the army lost his paperwork) and after serving as an X-ray technician at Fort Lewis, he returned to Stanford on the GI Bill to study science. Upon graduation, he married his first wife, Collette Ferguson, had three children, and taught biology, physics, and chemistry. Later, at McGill Medical School, he found his calling as a physician and met and married his classmate and wife of fifty years, Paula Good Chaffey. Following residency at Yale, John practiced medicine with the Joint Center for Radiation Therapy in Boston, and served on the faculty of the Harvard Medical School. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather, adored physician and educator. Retiring to Bend in 1999, he enjoyed fishing, photography and living by the Deschutes River. He sang in the Harmoneers Men’s Chorus and, his real passion, the Vocal Seniority barbershop quartet, who joined him for a last session just a week before his death.

He is survived by his wife, Paula Chaffey M.D., his brother, Benjamin Chaffey M.D., six children: Mark, Jonathon, Erica, Andrew, Howard, and William, eight grandchildren: Peter, Carter, Anicka, Liam, Cole, Hugh, Rachel, and Melanie, and was predeceased by his brother, William (Bill).

A celebration of his life will be held this summer in Bend, dates to be determined. Please sign the familys online guestbook at www.niswonger-reynolds.com