Mary Anne was born on March 26, 1924, in The Bronx to William Hlawatsch and Helen Roberts.
She attended schools in The Bronx, Long Island and Plattsburgh where she graduated from high school.
Upon returning to the New York City area, she lived in Yonkers and began working for the Fifth Avenue Bank where she met the love of her life, Arch Wilhelm. They married in 1946 and moved to Queens where they raised their children. Mary Anne and Arch were strong supporters of St. Ann’s Church and elementary school from which all their children graduated. Mary Anne also enjoyed being a member of St. Ann’s Block Rosary group and the Catholic Daughters of America. After raising her children, Mary Anne returned to work, commuting to the Lincoln Building in Manhattan for ten years. After her retirement and Arch’s death, Mary Anne moved to Garth Road in Eastchester. She was an active parishioner in Our Lady of Fatima Church and a member of the Garth Road Center of Eastchester’s Senior Program.
Mary Anne is survived by five children: Janice Arcaro (Greg); Patricia Benoit; Joseph Wilhelm (Ann); John Wilhelm; Mary Anne Torswick (Craig).
She is survived by nine grandchildren (the joys of her life): Renee Baird (Douglas); Rebecca Arcaro (Takahiro Kaneyama); Stanley Wilhelm (Nicole Nadel); Michael Arcaro (Anna Schapiro); AnElisa Wilhelm; Lisa Torswick; Katrina Gaska (Grant); Hayley Torswick; Aleksei Wilhelm; and six great grandchildren (also joys of her life): Riley, Nolan and Zoe Baird; Tristan and Sebastian Wilhelm; and Felix Scharo.
She is also survived by her beloved cousins who were like sisters to her: Joan Hirsch, Virginia Barker (Richard), and Barbara Deane.
She is pre-deceased by her husband Arch, her two brothers William and Robert Hlawatsch, her grandchild Carol Wilhelm, her aunt Virginia Deane, and her long-time friend Barbara Ryan.
The family is grateful to the three aides who compassionately helped Mary Anne in her later years: Alta, Angella, and Karen.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her name can be made to Annunciation - Our Lady of Fatima Church (470 Westchester Avenue, Crestwood, New York 10707), Calvary Hospital (1740 Eastchester Road, Bronx, NY 10461 Attn: The Calvary Fund) or the Town of Eastchester (40 Mill Road, Eastchester, NY 10709 Attn: Garth Road Senior Center).
The wake will be held at Bennett Funeral Home (824 Scarsdale Avenue, Scarsdale, NY 10583) from 3pm to 7pm on Thursday, February 8th.
The funeral mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Fatima Church (5 Strathmore Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583) at 10am on Friday, February 9th with interment to follow at Calverton National Cemetery, next to her husband, Arch.
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