Obituary of Mary Christina Polzin

Voorheesville - Mary Christina Polzin, 82, of Voorheesville passed away Thursday, February 23, 2023.  Born in Brooklyn, NY on May 23, 1940, Mary was the daughter of the late Mary Michajlo Gnip and Louis Gnip.  The family moved to Ballston Spa around 1945 and she attended East Line Kindergarten on Route 67, which was a one room country schoolhouse. Because Mary’s parents only spoke the Slovak language, she did not speak English until an older neighboring schoolmate helped her to learn the English language. Her education continued at Ballston Spa schools and she graduated in 1959 with a Regents Diploma. Mary had a big heart and loved animals and picking four leaf clovers.  She helped her parents on their dairy farm haying and working with the cows.  She also helped her two younger brothers with their schoolwork.

After high school, she worked a part time job at GEX in Latham. During this time, she was also taking a secretarial training program. Her first full time job was with G.F. Blackmer & Sons in Saratoga Springs. After passing the NYS Civil Service Exam she was hired as a Keypunch Operator at the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance at the Albany State Campus.

In 1965, she met the love of her life, John, at an office picnic. On October 15, 1966, they were married at St. Mary’s Church in Ballston Spa. Shortly after their marriage, Mary became a full time housewife. John and Mary lived in Albany before purchasing their home in Voorheesville.  On April 27, 1976, they were blessed with the birth of their daughter Bonnie.

Mary was very devoted to her family and religious faith. Mary was a communicant of St. Matthew’s Church in Voorheesville. She enjoyed movies, stage performances, music, concerts, fairs, picture taking and tending to her house plants. Mary and John traveled to Edmonds, WA each year to visit Bonnie and her family and to celebrate their shared Oct. 15th wedding anniversaries.

Mary is survived by her husband of 56 years, John C. Polzin; mother of Bonnie C. Britt (Michael) of Edmonds, WA; grandmother of Mikaela C. Britt; sister of Louis J. Gnip (Rosemary) of Ballston Spa and Michael E. Gnip (Donna) of Charlton; and aunt of Holly, Devon, Winter, Ashley, Renee and the late Tonya.

A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 3, 2023 at St. Matthew’s Church, 25 Mountainview St., Voorheesville, with interment following at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Saratoga Springs.  Relatives and friends may also call at the Reilly & Son Funeral Home Voorheesville, 9 Voorheesville Ave. on Thursday from 4 - 7 p.m.

Donations in memory of Mary may be made to St. Matthew’s Church, 25 Mountainview St., Voorheesville, NY 12186, St. Peter’s Hospital Radiation Oncology Dept., 317 So. Manning Blvd., Suite 100, Albany, NY 12208 or to your favorite charity.