John Steven Gerringer

John Steven Gerringer, loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and uncle

John Steven Gerringer, 91, of Haskell Parkway, Olean, passed away Friday (January 24, 2025) with his children close by.  

Born December 12, 1933, at the West End Hospital Olean, he was the oldest son of the late Steven and Marie (Cavanaugh) Gerringer. John married Phyllis (Besecker) on September 25, 1954, at St Bonaventure Church, Allegany, she predeceased him in 2023.

John's first schooling was at a one-room schoolhouse, the Four Mile Rock View School with Miss Schnell.  John finished the rest of his schooling and graduated from Allegany Central School in 1951.  He was in the marching band, the football team, and the track team. John was a past member of the Four Mile 4H Club. He also attended several levels of Whirlpool Business Management School.  After graduation, he went to work at Olean Tile Co. from 1951-1953. He left Allegany for a job at the Chevrolet Plant in Tonawanda from 1953 to 1956. John was asked to return to the area to help his father-in-law (Frances Besecker) with a new business he was starting in Olean. He took ownership of Besecker & Coss after the death of Frances Besecker in 1965. John and his wife, Phyllis owned and expanded Besecker & Coss until they retired in 1998, giving the keys to 3 of their 5 children.

For 15 years, John was a member of the Olean National Guard, achieving the rank of Master Sergeant. He played on the Olean Rockets Semi-Pro football team for 3 years, a member of the VFW Malta Marchers Drill Team playing the tuba. He was a Pack Leader for the Westons Mills Cub Scouts. John and Phyllis belonged to the Olean and Portville Jaycees and were members of the Portville Lions Club for years. He was a member of the Amvets Post #1 in Cuba, NY.

John liked to bowl over the Palace Theater, at the bowling alley.  His business sponsored a men’s & women’s league for Olean for many years.  John was an Elk and Eagle Club member for many years.   He was a past Board member of the Olean Chamber of Commerce, a Chairman of the Olean Home Show, a charter member, and past board member of the AVB buying Group of Western NY.  He was on the Scared Heart Parish Console, when Scared Heart closed, John and Phyllis joined St. Mary’s of Angles. John, along with other parish members, started a project to archive all of St. Mary’s history, a 1-year outline took 4 years, which led to a Historical Room for St. Mary’s of the Angles. John and Phyllis volunteered to cook and serve, for many years for the annual June Festival at the Basilica of St. Mary’s of the Angles. He was also part of the St. Vincent DePaul of Portville and was a past commissioner of the Westons Mills Fire Company. He along with Red Grey founded an annual non-profit fund-raiser, “The Pumpkin Shoot”, it ran for 12 years donating to many local organizations.  

John and Phyllis were “Winter Birds” who traveled with their RV, and John was a past president of Holiday Rambler RV Group of Pa. They enjoyed traveling with the group all around the US, and also to many other countries.  Both enjoyed square dancing with the Enchanted Mountaineers of Olean.  John enjoyed campfires out back of their home.  He also enjoyed his neighborhood members and their get-togethers.

John is survived by two daughters, Rosalyn (Mike) Zalepa of PA., and Charmaine (Tom) Bean of NY.; three sons, Matt (Pam) Gerringer of S.C., Mike (Sue Howard) Gerringer of NY., and John (Michelle) Gerringer of NY.; nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; a sister, Susan (Gerringer) Freaney; two brothers-in-law, Raymond (Diane) Besecker and Charles (Dee) Besecker with several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his loving wife of over 70 years, Phyllis; his parents, Steven and Marie; three siblings, Richard (Marilu) Gerringer, Nancy (Gerringer) Koliviski, and Mary Celia, who died at birth.

The Legacy of John Gerringer will live on in all five of his kids.

Dad, you may not be here physically with us, but your memories will surround us and will make us grow a better life.

Family will receive friends on Friday, March 21, 2025, from 4 pm to 7 pm at the Guenther Funeral Home, Inc., 1303 E State St. Olean.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at 10:00 am at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Olean.

Memorials, if desired, may be made to Cattaraugus County Meals on Wheels, 1 Leo Moss Dr. Olean, NY. 14760 or donor’s choice.

Online condolences may be expressed at guentherfh.com