Mary Ann Urbanski

Mary Ann (Meloch) Urbanski of Williamsville, a retired Medical Technologist with Buffalo Medical Group active in retirement in many societies and groups in Amherst, NY, passed away Wednesday Nov. 23 at Brothers of Mercy Nursing Home in Clarence, at age 90.

Mrs. Urbanski is survived by her children, Eileen (Patrick) Martin, Susan (late Jeffrey) Kobus, Paul (Suzanne) and Elizabeth (Daniel) Urbanski-Farrell; seven grandchildren including Jude, Bridgette; Nathaniel (Sujata) Martin of Florida; Stephanie and Andrew (Brittany) Urbanski; and Isabel and Matthew Urbanski-Farrell, and seven great-grandchildren: Sam, Kris, Julianna and Shannon Martin; Halie Martinez, Aubrianna Littenberg and Dhruv Martin.

Mrs. Urbanski was predeceased by her husband, Richard J. Urbanski, a retired electrician and union official at Dunlop Tire Co., in 2007; two infant children, JoAnn Barbara and an infant boy; her parents, Frank and Bertha Meloch; and by her siblings: Eujenia, Josephine (late Henry) Olejniczak, Alice (late Matthew) Jasen, the Rev. Msgr. Chester A. Meloch and Mildred (late Ronald) Jasinski.

Friends and family are invited to visit from 3 – 7 PM Thursday and Friday Dec. 1 and 2 at PERNA DENGLER ROBERTS FUNERAL HOME, 1671 Maple Road, Williamsville. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 8:45 AM Saturday, Dec. 3 at St. Gregory the Great Church, 200 St. Gregory Court off Maple Road in Williamsville. Assemble at church. Interment at St. Stanislaus Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo or Alzheimer's Association WNY Chapter gratefully accepted.

Born on Buffalo's East Side, Mary Ann attended St. Luke's Primary School and graduated in 1949 from Bishop Colton High School. In 1953, she graduated from D'Youville College with a bachelor's degree in Medical Laboratory Technology and in 1976 earned her Masters' degree in laboratory science from the University at Buffalo, State University of New York.

Her volunteer activities and generosity to the Buffalo and Amherst communities are numerous and significant.

When her children were small, Mrs. Urbanski taught part-time at St. Leo the Great School, and also taught religious education to high school students at her home, and volunteered as a den mother for the local Cub Scout pack.

Following graduation from college, Mrs. Urbanski was a member of the professional American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) beginning in 1954 and in 1992 was recognized as an Associate Member of ASCP. In 1993, she was recognized by the ASCP for 40 years of certification. Mrs. Urbanski worked at the chemistry lab of the Edward J. Meyer Hospital and at the same hospital's hematology laboratory in the 1970s and after it was renamed Erie County Medical Center. She also worked at Sisters of Mercy Hospital in Buffalo and Hayman Laboratory in Williamsville, and taught medical technology at Trocaire College, at the college and Kenmore Mercy Hospital.

Mrs. Urbanski was active in many church and social societies and on the Administrative Board of Directors of the Polish Union of America Fraternal Insurance Company in Buffalo, where she also served briefly as public relations manager; Ladies of the Lord of St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church in Amherst, perpetual Eucharistic adoration, and parish Mission retreats. She was a volunteer at Kaleida Health System's Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital where she served as a Eucharistic Minister to the sick.

From 1996 to 1998, Mrs. Urbanski was commissioned as a Special Minster of Holy Communion for the Neumann Chapel at the state University at Buffalo North Campus in Amherst. More recently, Mrs. Urbanski served as a Eucharistic Minister and lector at St. Gregory's Church.

She enjoyed music and theatre, and volunteered along with her husband as an usher at Shea's Buffalo Theatre, Kavinoky Theatre at D'Youville College, and at the UB Center for the Arts.

In 2015, Mrs. Urbanski committed as a lay associate of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities of Williamsville, and has been a generous benefactor to the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities of Williamsville, The Center for Hospice & Palliative Care in Buffalo, St. Gregory the Great Church and Our Lady of Victory Homes of Charity.

She and her husband were also active members of the Buffalo Audubon Club and the Amherst Senior Center. Mrs. Urbanski regularly played tennis at several clubs in Amherst, NY and played Duplicate Bridge with friends as a member of the American Contract Bridge League-sanctioned Bridge Center of Buffalo.