Mary Elizabeth Rovnak Drabic, 10/29/22 - 03/03/16

My Aunt Mary, my godmother, my aunt, my mentor, my friend.   I posted this on Facebook the day she died.  Aunt Mary was like a mother to me and this feels like losing my mother all over again.

I will miss you, Aunt Mary . . . rest in peace.

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God called an angel home today.  And we lost my Aunt Mary.

Aunt Mary was a second mother to me.  She was my playmate, my confident, my partner in crime.  Aunt Mary always lived downstairs in the flat, we lived upstairs.  I didn't know a time when Aunt Mary wasn't just a flight of stairs away. 

Aunt Mary took me to get my ears pierced at 7 years old, MUCH to my mother's dismay.  That was the only time I heard those two sisters argue and boy did they argue.  First time i learned it was better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission!  All Mom could do was yell, the deed was done.

Friday nights were girls nights.  Aunt Mary and I were in downtown Erie after Aunt Mary got off of work, we cashed her check at the bank we went for dinner and shopping.  Big Friday nights together, it was our thing. 

Saturdays were downstairs at her house, in our jammies, watching TV, our favorite show was the Miss America competition.  Of course, we always rooted for Miss Pennsylvania!  And, with a pomegranate to munch on during the festivities.

Aunt Mary who would answer any question, who would try to teach you anything you needed to know.  Aunt Mary who made awful coffee (Sorry Aunt Mary) but that didn't stop you from having fresh coffee with her.

Back in the bad days, I was coming home way too late, I misplaced my keys and I didn't want my parents to know I was trying to sneak in, so I went around the back of the house, knocked on Aunt Mary's bedroom window to wake her up to get me in!  She not only let me in, she never narced on me to my parents.  She had my back.

Baking with Aunt Mary, playing cards, and trying to talk Slovak with her. 

She loved me unconditionally like a mother would.  Unfortunately, she reached the point at 93 years young that she just wanted to go be with her family that had gone on before her.

This morning around 8:00 am, heaven gained an angel.  And we lost Aunt Mary.