Obituary of Charles Gaydorus

Charles Paul Gaydorus, 97, passed away peacefully on May 19, 2025 at his family home in Afton, NY. He is predeceased by his parents, Paul and Veronica (Rezucha) Gaydorus, his beloved wife, Bernice (Gillar) Gaydorus, and his precious granddaughter, Nikiah Gaydorus. Charlie was known for his lifelong work ethic, modeling this for his children and grandchildren. He was born in humble circumstances to Czech immigrants in Binghamton, NY on April 13, 1928. He learned English in kindergarten, and then helped his parents learn the new language. As a child, he also often assisted them in their job of assembling boots and shoes for Endicott Johnson. He worked at area farms during summer vacations, and in 1944 he and his parents bought a river flat dairy farm in Nineveh. Charlie met his future wife Bernice at a roller skating rink in Sidney. They fell in love and were married in 1954, with a small reception on the farm. The two raised four children and were blessed to share their lives for 67 years, committed to one another until Berny’s death in May 2022. In 1959 he sold the farm and used the proceeds to purchase Horton Hardware in Afton. He became well-known to the community as he built the store into a successful business, adding appliances, clothing and rental items over the years. Charlie loved to make a deal. A natural salesman, he enjoyed the back-and-forth of buying and selling. He employed numerous local residents at Horton, some of whom became his closest friends. In 1996 he sold the store to two of his sons, who continued the business until it closed in 2024. No longer tied down by day-to-day business operations, Charlie and Berny retired to Nevada where they enjoyed the the warmer weather and the occasional free buffet. The couple made many friends in their new community, as they had in Afton. Charlie will be remembered for his business sense, his sociable nature and his honesty and fairness in his dealings. But for those closest to him, he was above all a man who loved his family and his friends, always ready to give whatever was needed. He is survived by his children Christine and Eric Schlottman, Stephen and Donna Gaydorus, Alan and Colleen Gaydorus, and Glenn and Lenora Gaydorus; his grandchildren Jonathan and Angela Schlottman, Kit Gaydorus, Rebekah Schlottman, Bethany and Kevin Foxworth, Kevin and Bri Gaydorus, Cali Gaydorus, Danielle and Deepak Sihag, Sayde and Kevin Swarm, Brandon Gaydorus, Matthew Gaydorus, and Shyahna Gaydorus; and his great-grandchildren Luke, Elise and Andrew Schlottman. Special thanks to Hospice and Palliative Care of Chenango County and to Around the Clock In-Home Care for the excellent services provided to Charlie and the family during his final illness. To honor Charlie’s wishes, a private graveside service will be held for the family. He had great appreciation for the Afton volunteer fire department (phone: 607-693-2050, website: aftonnyfiredepartment.org), and if you would like to give a gift in his memory, we would suggest you consider this worthy organization.