Obituary of Frank Arnold Backus

Frank Arnold Backus originally from Bainbridge, NY passed peacefully on January 12, 2023. Frank was living in Troy, PA at the time of his passing but was born September 14, 1953 at The Bainbridge Hospital. He spent most of his life farming, hunting, cutting firewood and fishing in and around the hamlet of Bennettsville, NY. He grew up on the family farm on Neff Hill and attended Bainbridge-Guilford Central School until ~9th grade when he 'retired' from school to pursue the farming that he loved full time. In addition to farming with his parents Fritz and Helen, he also worked on the Bud Frost and Avery Castle farms. Over the years, in addition to farming Frank worked at Unalam in Sidney, NY, worked for the town of Bainbridge, helped his parents with their 'His n Hers Deer Processing' business, drove trucks for G&S Transfer and Midwest hauling mail, and supplied firewood to many area residents keeping them warm all winter. His love of hunting took him on many travels to Maine, Ohio and parts of Canada; he often brought his family and friends along to stay at his hunt camp in Ohio and his father would sometimes accompany him to Canada. Always looking for an opportunity, he once brought a truckload of watermelons home from Florida and sold them locally! His opportunism didn't stop at work endeavors as he would find creative ways to entertain his niece and nephew like taking them fishing in his johnboat (no lifejackets), riding his 3-wheeler (no helmets), going for truck rides in his old dump truck (no seatbelts), and pulling them on a car hood behind his snowmobile – none of which was approved by the kids' mother. He enjoyed expressing his love for his sister Lee by letting her know that she always made the mistake of baking cake on pie night and baking pie on cake night. Frank is predeceased by his parents Lewis (Fritz) and Helen Backus and a brother Theodore Backus. Frank is survived by sister Lee (Leona) and Everett Brown of Bainbridge; niece Joyce (Brown) and Nathan Klaus of Culloden, GA; nephews William Brown of Sidney, NY, and Justin Backus of Danville, NY; great-nieces Kaitlyn Brown and fiancé Michael Hoad, Ellie and Piper Brown; great-great-niece Kendall Hoad, Aunt Sandy Frank (Mrs. Ed Frank), many cousins, and close friends Avery Castle, Steve Holland and Gary Stilson. We will celebrate Frank's life at CH Landers Funeral Home 21 Main St. in Sidney, NY with calling hours on February 11, 2023 from 2-3 pm followed by a funeral at 3pm where Gary Stilson will address Frank's family and friends with some words of comfort. To honor Frank, please attend the celebration in your jeans, work clothes or hunting attire and bring a few words to share if you feel so moved. Frank's burial will be at Glenwood Cemetery in Afton, NY at 11:00am on Saturday, May 13, 2023. If you would like to honor Frank with something other than flowers, please consider making a donation in his honor to "Hunt of a Lifetime" (huntofalifetime.org), a nonprofit organization with a mission to grant hunting and fishing dreams for children age 21 and under who have been diagnosed with life threatening illness or disabilities.