Obituary for Mary M. Blair Szemkow (Wagner)
WATERVLIET – Mary M. Wagner Blair Szemkow, 88, formerly of Watervliet and Lansingburgh, died Saturday, September 26, 2020 at the Van Rensselaer Manor in North Greenbush.
She was born in Troy on April 15, 1932, the daughter of the late John E. and Catherine M. Martin Wagner. Mary was raised and educated in Watervliet and was a graduate of St. Patrick’s School and Watervliet High School.
She was employed at Albany Memorial Hospital for two years prior to her marriage working with her father in the laundry department. She then raised her family before returning to work at the John J. Chaloux Co. in Watervliet as a precision level technician for 18 years before retiring.
She was a communicant of the former St. Patrick’s Church in Watervliet and was a member of the Watervliet AOH. She enjoyed crafts, crocheting and ceramics.
She was the wife of the late Paul J. Szemkow and the late Irving A. Blair; loving mother of John A. (Catherine) Blair of Harrisburg, PA, Christopher (Mary Erin) Blair of Ilion, NY, Timothy A. (Billy Jo) Blair of New Cumberland, PA and the late Irving A. Blair, Jr., adored grandmother of Jennifer Blair (Derek) Fissell, Christina Blair (Ryan) Jones, Erin E. Blair, Jerry Blair, T.J. (Vanessa) Adalian, Kristen Adalian (Nova) Greenberg, Dominico Blair, Jace Blair and Ethan Blair; great grandmother of Tace Harris, Emma and Madison Fissel, Molly and Abby Jones, Connor and Evan Catanzrite, Kellan, Devin and Harlen Greenberg, Emma, Vivian, Bianca and Nadia Adalian; dear sister of Catherine “Sis” (late Stanley) Lindgren of Watervliet, Shirley (late Leonard) Durocher of Cohoes, Helen (late George) Child of Waterford and Christina (Richard) Hebert of Schenectady. Mary is also survived by several nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her funeral mass on Wednesday, September 30th at 10:00 am at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 2416 7th Avenue, Watervliet where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Donald L. Rutherford, Pastor. Her ashes will be interred at St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Watervliet following the mass. Please wear a mask and follow social distancing.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or stjude.org.
Condolence book at ParkerBrosMemorial.com.
She was born in Troy on April 15, 1932, the daughter of the late John E. and Catherine M. Martin Wagner. Mary was raised and educated in Watervliet and was a graduate of St. Patrick’s School and Watervliet High School.
She was employed at Albany Memorial Hospital for two years prior to her marriage working with her father in the laundry department. She then raised her family before returning to work at the John J. Chaloux Co. in Watervliet as a precision level technician for 18 years before retiring.
She was a communicant of the former St. Patrick’s Church in Watervliet and was a member of the Watervliet AOH. She enjoyed crafts, crocheting and ceramics.
She was the wife of the late Paul J. Szemkow and the late Irving A. Blair; loving mother of John A. (Catherine) Blair of Harrisburg, PA, Christopher (Mary Erin) Blair of Ilion, NY, Timothy A. (Billy Jo) Blair of New Cumberland, PA and the late Irving A. Blair, Jr., adored grandmother of Jennifer Blair (Derek) Fissell, Christina Blair (Ryan) Jones, Erin E. Blair, Jerry Blair, T.J. (Vanessa) Adalian, Kristen Adalian (Nova) Greenberg, Dominico Blair, Jace Blair and Ethan Blair; great grandmother of Tace Harris, Emma and Madison Fissel, Molly and Abby Jones, Connor and Evan Catanzrite, Kellan, Devin and Harlen Greenberg, Emma, Vivian, Bianca and Nadia Adalian; dear sister of Catherine “Sis” (late Stanley) Lindgren of Watervliet, Shirley (late Leonard) Durocher of Cohoes, Helen (late George) Child of Waterford and Christina (Richard) Hebert of Schenectady. Mary is also survived by several nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her funeral mass on Wednesday, September 30th at 10:00 am at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 2416 7th Avenue, Watervliet where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Donald L. Rutherford, Pastor. Her ashes will be interred at St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Watervliet following the mass. Please wear a mask and follow social distancing.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or stjude.org.
Condolence book at ParkerBrosMemorial.com.