Irving Siegler Obituary

Irving Siegler – known to his loved ones as "Uncle Irv" – passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Monday, November 11, 2024. He was 79. He is survived by his nephew, Ethan Barnes, his brother-in-law, Devereaux Barnes, and his godchildren and their families: Emily Hajjar and Andrew Ulane; Rachael (Hajjar) and Matt Zappia and Thomas Hajjar and Karis (Dewalt) Hajjar. He was preceded in death by his sister, Ellen.
Irv was born to Sarah and Abe Siegler on August 19, 1945, in Mount Vernon, New York. Irv and his sister grew up in a kind-hearted family of modest means. From an early age, Irv learned to make do with relatively little, to be grateful for what you have, and that nothing is more valuable than good friends and family. Always independent and rebellious, Irv spent his early years enjoying the NYC area, developing his life-long interests in baseball and cars, and getting into trouble with authority figures of all types – parents, teachers, and others. But beneath his rebellious, sarcastic, and lovably prickly exterior, he believed in fairness, kindness, and generosity above all else.
After graduating from Antioch College in the mid-1960s, Irv settled in Corning, living happily until 2024. His kindness, generosity, and wit touched many in the community. For over 30 years, he taught math at Severn Elementary School, positively impacting hundreds of local students.
Irv's impact was also felt outside of the classroom. He co-authored 2 books used in schools to "help children make important decisions and feel good about themselves." Additionally, he was a delegate for the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and served on the teachers' union negotiation team.
Irv also served as an election poll worker for many years and enjoyed working part-time as a bartender at local watering holes, including the Hilton and Boomers Bistro. He was quick to listen and share a friendly conversation while serving some of his signature drinks like the margarita and mint julep. Irv enjoyed reading, doing crossword puzzles, and meeting with his fellow retirees for breakfast in his free time.
Irv was an avid Red Sox fan and loved cars and motorcycles. The number of cars in Irv's garage (peaking at 18) pales in comparison to the number of lives he touched and the number of hearts heavy with his passing. Irv's sound life advice, reassuring presence, generosity, and caring will be greatly missed. While his loved ones wished he could have had more time, they know that Irv was grateful for the time he did have. He lived a life with much more love than regret and considered himself lucky to share his time with his beloved family and friends. As Irv would have said, you can't ask for much more than that.
At Irv's request, there will be no services. Memorial donations may be made in Irving's honor to the Southeast Steuben County Library (https://ssclibrary.org/donate/).
Irving's family entrusted his care to Haughey Funeral Home, Inc., 216 East First Street, Corning, NY 14830.