Dr. Robert Schaffnit, 81, of Jamestown, New York, a chiropractor for 53 years, passed away in the hospital on Sept. 9.
A military academy graduate in 1936, Dr. Schaffnit was inducted into the U.S. Army on Dec. 3, 1941, only a few months before graduating from Logan Chiropractic College. He was a staff sergeant in the Army Medical Corps, attached to the 21st General Hospital, and earned three bronze stars while serving in England, Algeria, Italy and France.
After the war Dr. Schaffnit returned to Logan College to complete his studies. He graduated in 1946 and began a practice in St. Louis, where he remained for five years. He relocated to Jamestown, New York and began a practice that would span 46 years, the last 12 years of which were with an associate, William Schuver,DC. Dr. Schaffnit retired on Sept. 9, 1999 due to ill health.
Mildred, his wife, recalls how much he loved getting up early and walking the two blocks to his office. Mildred worked with him for 25 years. Their daughter, Pat, still works for Dr. Schuver, and Richard, a 1976 Logan graduate, has offices in North East and Erie, New York.
Dr. Schuver characterized Dr. Schaffnit as "honest, compassionate, gentle and kind," a description that the community he treated for so many years would agree with.
Dr. Schaffnit was a member of the New York State Chiropractic Association and the American Legion. He is survived by his wife, Mildred, three daughters, three sons and seven grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Logan Chiropractic College, 1851 Schoettler Road, P.O. Box 1065, Chesterfield, MO 63006-1065,or to the American Diabetes Association, 7 Washington Square, Albany, N.Y. 12205.
