Mary McArdle
Obituary
Mary Rose Senoff Black McArdle, passed away on April 7, 2022 at the age of 97. Mary was born January 23, 1925 in Utica, New York to Joseph J. and Helena M. (Steinhorst) Senoff. She grew up on Brinkerhoff Avenue in the Cornhill neighborhood surrounded by a large extended family.
Mary was a graduate of Blessed Sacrament School and Utica Catholic Academy. Following graduation, she went to work as a switchboard operator at the New York Telephone Company where she recalled working until she lost her voice on Victory in Europe Day and had to be sent home. She would eventually meet her first husband, John C. Black – originally of Washington, DC – while passing in the stairwell of the telephone company. The two were married in 1947. The family moved from Utica to DeWitt, New York in 1953, before becoming pioneer residents of the then-new DeWitt Hills neighborhood in 1959. She would remain at that home on Hamilton Parkway until 2019 as one of the neighborhood’s last original residents.
Mary was predeceased by her first husband in 1966 and returned to work at the New York Telephone Company before becoming a secretary at Agway. She married a second time to Syracuse firefighter Joseph E. McArdle in 1971 and retired from Agway in 1987. The pair spent their golden years enjoying time with friends and traveling.
Mary was an active communicant of and volunteer for Holy Cross Church for nearly 70 years. Her involvement with the Church included: chairing the Bazaars held to raise funds for the construction of Holy Cross School, twice serving as president of the Alter and Rosary Society, serving as chairman of the funeral luncheon committee, serving as a Eucharistic minister, and serving as a long-time religious education instructor. Her commitment to the Church was recognized in 2015, when she received the Immaculata Award for Service from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse.
Mary was predeceased by her parents, her sister, Joan (Stanley) Ceplius of Garden Grove, CA, both husbands, and stepson, Joseph McArdle Jr. She is survived by her children, John (Patricia) Black of Syracuse and Nancy (Roger) Watts of Grand Island and stepdaughters, Pauline (Michael) Saraceni and Cheryl (Daniel) Hayes, both of North Syracuse. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren, Kathleen McArdle, Patti (Brian) Denbleyker, Christina (Erick) Trease, Kimberly (Andrew) Roaldi, Allison (Kenneth) Haimila, John Paul (Renee) Hayes, Michael (Madeleine) Saraceni, Stephanie (Brian) Campese, Courtney Black, Timothy Watts, Ashley (Jay) Kogut, Christopher Black, Elizabeth Black, and Caroline Black; 16 great-grandchildren; 11 surviving nieces and nephews; several great and great-great nieces and nephews; many friends; and her beloved dog, Lil Bit.
Mary was never one to sit still and was up for almost anything. She remained energetic and a fighter until the end. She beat COVID-19 in early 2021 and was still continuing to practice her walking at the time of her passing. The family would like to extend its gratitude to the staff of Elderwood at Liverpool who cared for Mary during her final years, including through the challenging first years of the pandemic.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at 10:00 am at Holy Cross Church, 4112 East Genesee Street, DeWitt. Calling hours will be held Tuesday, April 26, 2022, from 4 pm to 7 pm at Fairchild & Meech DeWitt Chapel, 3690 Erie Blvd East, DeWittr. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, DeWitt.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary’s memory can be made to the Yeazel Catholic Education Endowment Fund at the Central New York Community Foundation. Checks can mailed to the CNYCF at 431 East Fayette St., Syracuse, NY 13202 and online donations can be made at cnycf.org where it is possible to search for the fund.