John Cleney of Binghamton died peacefully on March 23, 2026. He was born in Binghamton to Russian Immigrant parents, Helen (Pitlantic) and Michael Cleney on July 20, 1934. He was the second youngest of 5 siblings. He spent his formative years growing up in the First Ward before joining the Marine Corps at 17 and serving for three years during the Korean War. Less than four months after his Honorable Discharge from the Marines as a Corporal, he enlisted in the Air Force and served for an additional 20 years before retiring Honorably at the rank of Technical Sergeant. He is a veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam Wars earning service medals for each of these conflicts. In addition to Good Conduct Medals earned during his service in each branch he received an Air Force Commendation Medal. He was very proud of his time in each branch of service.

After Vietnam he was stationed in Germany where he met his wife Ingrid. They returned to live in Binghamton where they were happily married for 42 years until her passing in 2015.

John was predeceased by his parents; his wife Ingrid Cleney, as well as his sister and brother-in-law, Mary (Edward) Jachimowicz; brother, Andrew Klenick; sister Lillian Klenick; brother and sister-in-law Michael (Kathy) Cleney. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law Andrew and Holly Cleney; his three grandchildren Sophia, Carter and Owen Cleney;several nieces and nephews, Marilyn (Paul) Gebauer, Connie (Steve) Kattell, Michael (Kim) Cleney, Brenda Thurston and numerous great and great-great-nieces/nephews.

In the 70's and 80's he worked in numerous factory jobs, and when those jobs dried up he took a job as a custodian at Binghamton High School where he remained for 25 years. He finally retired for good at the age of 77. In 2015 after his wife Ingrid's passing John was diagnosed with liver cancer and became a cancer survivor for 11 years. In 2022 he moved to Clifton Park, NY to live with his son Andrew and his family to receive immunotherapy treatments when his cancer returned. He entered Hospice care in early 2025 as his health declined.

In his later years busied himself with yard work and enjoyed reading Detective Fiction and watching all sorts of Mystery shows. His particular favorites were British Detective dramas, Matlock, Father Dowling Mysteries and especially Murder She Wrote. He was also a lifelong fan of cinema, his particular favorites being War films and Westerns. He kept his mind sharp doing endless amounts of word search and sudoku puzzles and he'd never turn down a hand of cards. He was quite the card shark, regularly schooling his family in games of 500 Rummy even into his 90's. A life-long Yankee fan, in his retirement he would watch every televised game of the season.

He quietly kept a very strong faith in God, praying every night before bed. He grew up in an apartment in the First Ward and bought a house on the West Side. He loved his hometown of Binghamton.

In lieu of flowers, his family would prefer you make a memorial donation in John's name to Community Hospice who gave him such wonderful and compassionate care in his final year of life. https://www.communityhospice.org/donate/

Funeral Services will be held at the J.A. McCormack Sons Funeral Home, 141 Main Street, Binghamton, Tuesday March 31, 2026 at 11 a.m. Rev. Edward Zandy will officiate. Burial will be in Vestal Hills Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the McCormack Funeral Home, Monday March 30, 2026 from 5 to 7 p.m.