Mary J Relyea (Aldershoff)

Mary J. (Aldershoff) Relyea, 98, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Tuesday November 13, 2018. Mary was born May 7, 1920 in Glenville, NY to immigrate parents Hendricks and Anna (Zderdicka) Aldershoff. When she was a young child the family moved to a farm in Rotterdam. After graduating from Draper High School, she moved to Minneapolis, MN for three years where her friends' family had relocated. She returned home at the beginning of WWII to help on the farm. Mary also worked for the Macqua Co. and then the General Electric before meeting her husband, Willie and raising their two daughters. A loving wife and mother, her family always came first. She always had a smile on her face and loved to visit with neighbors and friends. Mary possessed a great sense of humor and enjoyed playing pranks on unsuspecting family and friends. She enjoyed doing crafts, word games and crossword puzzles as well as any outside activity including gardening, camping and boating. Mary was also an avid NASCAR fan. She always took pride in our home, making sure it was always decorated tastefully and placed beautiful bouquets of flowers around as the seasons changed. Holidays were always a favorite, decorating and making our home festive. Mary was predeceased in 1995 by her husband of 48 years, Wilbur T. Relyea and five siblings, Henry and John Aldershoff, Elsie Hansen, Frances Halsdorf and Ann Adams. She is survived by her daughters, Pat Brown (Donald) of Oldsmar, FL and Phyllis Relyea of Rotterdam, her brother, Garrett Aldershoff of Rotterdam as well as several nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grand nephews and 3 great grand nieces and her faithful feline companion Giz. Mary and Garrett were of great company to each other after the passing of their spouses. A service to celebrate Mary's life will be held on Saturday morning November 17th at 10 am at Bond Funeral Home, Broadway & Guilderland Avenue, Schenectady, NY. A visitation will be held at the funeral home on Friday evening from 6 to 8 pm. Interment will be held at Most Holy Redeemer in Niskayuna. A special thank you to the staff of the Willow Unit at the Schenectady Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and to other family members of residents that assisted her with her well-being. Contributions may be made in Mary's name to the American Cancer Society, the Alzheimer's Association or the animal Protective Foundation in Scotia.