Mary Pirak
March 16, 1933 to November 12, 2022
Snyder’s Mary Ann Pyrac, who applied her mathematical skills to aerospace engineering work and financial matters for various businesses and charities, died suddenly on November 12. She was 89 years old.
Born in Buffalo, raised in Black Rock, attended School 64 and won the Jesse Ketchum Award and American Revolutionary Citizen Award for daughters.
At Nardin Academy, she was the class salute.
She worked as a dynamics engineer in the male-dominated division of Bell Aircraft in the 1950s, doing calculations for rockets returning from space.
She and her husband, lawyer Theodore J. Pirac, were classmates in elementary school and began dating in college. They got married in 1955.
After raising her children, she began working for her husband’s law firm, handling income tax matters, managing real estate, and overseeing large profit-sharing schemes.
For the past several decades, Mrs. Pyrak served as Director and Corporate Secretary of Liston Manufacturing Inc. Liston Manufacturing Inc. is a North Tonawanda company founded by her husband’s family to manufacture specialized high speed bearings for the petrochemical industry. Her son Charles is the president of the company.
She was the Office Manager of Pyrak Law Firm and was a member of the Supervisory Board of the Cadets Federal Credit Union.
Mrs. Pyrak was a longtime member and former president of the Advocates Club of the Buffalo Auxiliary and former financial secretary and treasurer of Canisius College Scholarship Associates.
She was past president of the Assumption School Board and the Association of Mothers Clubs of Assumption Schools.
She was active in the Democratic Women’s Club in the North District (District 21), serving as a board member and recording secretary. She was also a member of the Polish Union of America’s Women’s Division and the Canisius High School Mothers Club.
She was an avid reader and loved golf. A member of Tantara and Fox She’s Valley She’s Country She’s Club, she achieved a hole-in-one at the age of 78.
In addition to her husband of 67 years, the survivors have two sons, Charles and Arthur. Daughter, Laura Pirac Nolte. She has seven grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.
Burial Mass for Christians is Tuesday at 10:00 am Assumption Catholic Church, 435 Amherst St.
