July 10, 1930 – July 6, 2023

Dr. Robert Lee Conschafter, a chiropractor for 60 years, died July 6 following a short illness, four days before his 93rd birthday.

He had continued seeing patients in his office on Harlem Road in Cheektowaga until he was 90.

Born in Buffalo, the younger of two boys, he was the son of Dr. Victor S. Conschafter and Mildred Weber Conschafter. His father, a chiropractor with a clinic on Humboldt Parkway, developed a visualizing device to help treat spinal problems.

He played drums in the marching band at Amherst High School, where he graduated in 1948, and was right tackle on the school's undefeated football team his senior year.

At Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where he earned a degree in 1952, he played in the Army ROTC marching band and was corresponding secretary of his fraternity, Sigma Chi. He and a classmate, Joan Thompson, were married Dec. 27, 1952, in Cleveland.

Commissioned as an Army officer when he graduated, he served as an intelligence officer in I Corps Artillery with the 159th Field Artillery Battalion in the Korean War and attained the rank of first lieutenant.

Returning from service, he enrolled at his father's alma mater, Palmer Chiropractic College in Davenport, Iowa. Both he and his older brother William became associates in their father's clinic.

Dr. Conschafter was a former vice chairman of the board of New York State Chiropractic College, now Northeast College of Health Sciences in Seneca Falls, and a member of the New York State Chiropractic Association, District 17, and the New York State Chiropractic Council, District 8.

He received an outstanding service award from the Regents of the State of New York Board of Chiropractic in 1997. He also was honored as Chiropractor of the Year in 1994 and was given the Pioneer Award in 2013 for his service to the profession.

A Clarence and Amherst resident since the early 1970s, he was a member of the Park Country Club for more than 50 years and captain of the usher team at Calvary Episcopal Church. He also a member of the Crystal Beach, Ont., Tennis & Yacht Club for many years and the Buffalo Yacht Club. He was a former member of the board of directors of the Kiwanis Club of Buffalo.

In addition to his wife, a retired Williamsville elementary school teacher, survivors include two sons, Jeffrey and Bradley; a daughter, Sally Porter; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Another son, Dr. David Conschafter, who had a chiropractic office in his father's building, died in 2017. His brother William died in 1992.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. July 29 in Calvary Episcopal Church, 20 Milton St., Williamsville.