Mary Elizabeth Walz (Yarck)

Mary Elizabeth Walz, 94, passed away Friday, January 6, 2023 at Albany Medical Center.

Mary Elizabeth Yarck, the only daughter of Fritz and Johanna (Ahlf) Yarck, was born in Schenectady. Her father died when she was only 12, and to help make ends meet Mary had to work setting tables and cleaning for a wealthier neighbor’s boarding house. At 16, she went to work for Woolworth’s Five and Dime in downtown Schenectady. Mary graduated from Mont Pleasant High School. At the age of eighteen she was offered a job by a prominent Schenectady lawyer, Hyman Sacharoff, and became a legal secretary. She also obtained her real estate license. In 1951, Mary married Gerhardt (Jerry) Walz at Trinity Lutheran Church in Schenectady. Mary continued to work for Mr. Sacharoff until her first daughter was born, when, as was custom at the time, she stayed home to raise her children.

Upon her husband Jerry’s death in 1980, Mary went back to school to brush up on her secretarial skills, and to learn word processing and computers. After working a number of temp jobs for judges in the city, she took a position as secretary for Richard Wickerham, a Schenectady lawyer. Mary continued to work until the 1990’s, retiring in her late ‘60s. Mary then enjoyed travelling with friends, to Disney World a number of times, and on excursions to places like NYC, Boston, and Mohegan Sun Casino. Mary continued to live in her own home and was still driving until this past month.

Mary is survived by her three children and their spouses, Linda (Jeff) Riggi, Gary (Nancy) Walz and Deborah (Jack) Killimayer; and by five grandchildren, Christine Killimayer (Cain Crouch), David Killimayer, Toni Riggi, Tom Riggi and Kaitlyn Walz.

Services will be private.