Obituary of Mary Chermak

Mary Chermak formerly of Endicott and Vestal Mary Chermak, Centenarian, formerly of Endicott and Vestal, passed away on January 27, 2008 at Maple Leaf Nursing Center in Manchester, N.H., after a short illness. She was born May 17, 1906, in Old Forge, Pa., the youngest of seven children of Michael and Julia Kasenchak Spyak. Mary left school at age 16 to work in the silk mills and married Robert Carl Chermak on November 18, 1931. By 1942 she and Bob had moved to Endicott where she took up bowling in ten pin leagues at the IBM Country Club. She won a trophy her first year there and her last year there - exactly 50 years later when she was 90 years old - as well as many in between. She and Bob also bowled in other leagues at other lanes over the years. Mary was also known for the lovely flower gardens she planted and tended when Bob and she weren't traveling. Happiness was a picnic basket and a fishing pole in the back of the car. They also visited Maine, Florida and his hometown in Arkansas. Their children, Jean and Bob, were always in the back of the car on these adventures. Bob died in 1999 (age 91) and when son Bob moved to Maine, Mary took up Jean on her offer to move to New Hampshire in 2003 at age 97. Her reflection upon cutting the ties of 60 years? The same thing she said and felt all her life: "Why not go for change? You'll never know what you might have missed by not trying it out." Mary is survived by son, Robert Chermak and his wife, Rosemary, Kennebunk, Maine; daughter, Jean Desany and her husband, Anthony, Amherst, N.H.; grandchildren, Julie Ogletree, husband, David, and sons, Charles and John, Needham, Mass., Sarah Chermak of New York City, Robert Chermak of Kennebunk, Maine, David Desany and wife, Sharon, Lake Mary, Fla., Brian Desany of Branford, Conn., Christopher Desany, wife, Jessica and sons, Nathaniel and Samuel, East Greenbush, N.Y.; and a special niece, Florence Zrudlo, Old Forge, Pa. Calling hours will be held on Friday, February 1, 2008, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Coleman & Daniels Funeral Home, 300 E. Main St., Endicott, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. at St. Ambrose Church, Washington Ave. to follow. Burial will be held at the family plot at Calvary Cemetery in Johnson City. Coleman & Daniels Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.