Betsy Buchanan

Betsy Anne Fairchild Buchanan, 92, of Auburn, passed away on July 7, 2025, at Auburn Community Hospital.

Born on December 12, 1932, in Bainbridge, NY, Betsy was the daughter of Dr. Robert Fairchild and Jeannette Julien Fairchild. She graduated from Marathon High School, Marathon, NY and Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree in social work. 

During summers at SU, she was a camp counselor at Camp Talooli in Pennellville, NY as well at the Philadelphia area YMCA camp, as the women's and girls' program director.

After graduating from SU, she was the social secretary in charge of group social work at the Brooklyn YWCA. She met Doug at a YMCA Christmas party on Long Island, NY. Married in 1959, they moved to Auburn in 1960.  Betsy was the YMCA Camp Director/Swim instructor at Edgewater Camp on Owasco lake and a Sunday School teacher at St. Johns Church Episcopal. She served on the Auburn Enlarged Board of Education in the early 1970’s.  She was the bookkeeper with the Auburn Civic Theater for several years and started the program, “Summer Fun” for children at Owasco Park that included a variety of activities. Her passion for the bagpipes led to her serving over 40 years as a committee member of the CNY Scottish Games, and for the last 11 years she served as Treasurer. For 20 years, until 2024, she volunteered for the Saints Peter and John soup kitchen; work that was very important to her.

At 40 years old, she started playing the bagpipes. She competed with the Mohawk Valley Frasers into her 70’s and continued to give pipe lessons until she was 87.

Betsy is survived by her husband of almost 66 years, Douglas T. Buchanan, her children Timothy (Kaley), Shawn, Colleen (Peter) and Laurie, her sister Susan Haines, several nieces and nephews, three grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. In addition to her parents, Betsy was predeceased by her brother, Robert E. Fairchild.

Calling hours for Betsy will be held on August 11th from 10am -11am in Saints Peter and John Episcopal Church, 169 Genesee Street, Auburn NY. A memorial mass will follow in church at 11am with burial in Owasco Rural Cemetery. 

Donations in Betsy's name may be made to the American Civil Liberties Union (www.aclu.org)

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