Obituary of Mary Ellen Sheridan

Mary Ellen Sheridan, 88, passed away unexpectedly on December 28, 2017, at Ellis Hospital with her loving family at her side. Mary was born in Hilltown, PA, on September 17, 1929, to Eugene K. and Edith H. Smith Steiger. In the 1930s, her family moved to upstate NY. Mary grew up during the Great Depression and left school after the eighth grade to help raise her younger siblings. She also helped her parents cutting down trees in their logging operation. At age 17, Mary left home to work at different factories and restaurants in Amsterdam. In the mid-sixties, she took a position as a teacher's aide at Head Start, the first step in what would become a more than three decade career in early childhood education. In 1969, Mary received her GED (and her driver's license!) and, in the mid-seventies, advanced to her new role as a teacher in the local Head Start program. In the 1980s, Mary completed her CDA teaching certification and continued to teach at Head Start until retiring from there in 2001. During her career, she is estimated to have worked with almost a thousand children. Her love for kids was a constant motivation throughout the years, and she received great joy in later years when she would run into former students and their families and be brought up to date on their lives. Following her retirement from Head Start, Mary worked for a time as an activities aide at the Wilkinson RHCF and also as a private care home aide. Mary's life was characterized first and foremost by her faith in God. In 1942, she and her brother, Bob, attended Sacandaga Bible Conference, and it was there she accepted Christ as her savior. She rededicated her life to the Lord in the late fifties. She had faith that God would always do what He said He would do, and she always said He did not fail her. Her children knew that they and their children were prayed for daily. Usually the first sight her children had of her daily was her sitting at the table reading her Bible and Daily Bread devotional. Prayer was like breathing to her. She had been a member of Family Bible Church since 1972 and served in many capacities there, including Sunday school teacher and superintendent, trustee, and treasurer. Her love for Christ was the driving force of her life, and she strove to live out his teachings in her love and care for others. Mary was predeceased in 2015 by the love of her life and her husband of almost 63 years, James Joseph Sheridan III. Jim first saw Mary when she was a waitress at Al's Pizzeria and began their courtship by playing "Dream a Little Dream of Me" on the jukebox there over two dozen times. She hadn't even noticed until her boss told her to finally talk to the young man. He proposed to her on their first date, and they were married on February 12, 1952. In her spare time, Mary enjoyed gardening, baking, reading, birdwatching, and going on day trips. But most of all, she loved to spend time with her friends and family. Mary is survived by her children Michael Sheridan (Evelyn) , Edie Weaver (Daniel), and Mildred "Mooney" Jezierski (Chester), as well as her grandchildren John Weaver, David Weaver (Ashley Onyon), Keelie Sheridan (Jorge Luna), Kieren Barnes (Shawn), Rachel Weaver (Kevin Medick), and Courtney Sheridan (Adam Perkins). She is also survived by her brother Rene Steiger (Pat), sister Amelia Greco, sisters-in-law Fern Steiger, Betty Steiger, and Pat Luba (Frank), and many nephews and nieces. She is also survived by her "second family" Carol, Jane, and John Jezierski, Maxine Gasser, and Barry and Denise Douglas, and her beloved cat Ursie. Mary was predeceased by her two infant children Percy and Linda Marie Sheridan, her sister Edith Daye, her brothers Eugene Jr., Robert, Henry, and John Steiger, her sisters-in-law Carol Steiger and Betty Hildebrandt, her brothers-in-law George Daye, Auggie Greco, and Louis Hildebrandt, and her special animal companions Mooner, Daisy, Precious, and Snowball. The family would like to especially thank Mary's physicians Dr. Klausner, Dr. Ghazi, Dr. Armenia, nurse practitioners Diane Vecchio and Sonyea Oliver, Mary's "favorite nurse friend" Betty Tollner, and the staff on Maria Hall during Mary's recent stay at St. Mary's Hospital: Jim, Howie, Xenia, Brittany, Diantha, Adner, Diane, Andrew, Theresa, and others whose names we may have forgotten. Viewing hours are from 4:00-7:00 PM on Tuesday, January 2, at the Betz, Rossi, and Bellinger Funeral Home, located at 171 Guy Park Avenue in Amsterdam. The funeral will take place Wednesday, January 3rd, at 11:00 am at the funeral home with Rev. Dennis Burke presiding. Burial will be in the spring at the Van Vechten Cemetery in Pattersonville. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mary's name to Schenectady City Mission, PO Box 760, Schenectady, NY 12301 or to Sacandaga Bible Conference, 191 Lakeview Road, Broadalbin, NY 12025.