Obituary of Mary Josephine Maffei

Owned and operated Terry's Better Buys Grocery

Mary Josephine (DeSano) Maffei, 87, of Sayre, PA, passed away at home with her beloved family by her side on Saturday, September 7, 2019.

She was born on August 28, 1932 at home in Lynbrook, Long Island, NY to the late James and Mary (Fischetti) DeSano.

Mary worked at White Castle in Long Island as a Waitress before moving to Athens with her husband, Tony, where they owned and operated, Terry's Better Buys. They made many life-long friends while running the store and always let the neighborhood kids hang out there with their children. After they closed the store, Mary was the Manager of Mister Donut on Keystone Ave. in Sayre where she again met and remained friends with many of her employees and customers. She will always be remembered as an excellent employee, co-worker, and friend.

She was devoted to her family and prior to her husband's passing in 2010, she loved riding around the Valley with him, stopping in to check on family and visiting friends. Mary also enjoyed cooking for groups of people, especially on Holidays. She loved sitting on the porch with her grandchildren singing and people watching. Mary touched many lives along her journey here and will be missed by all those who knew and loved her.

Mary enjoyed ceramics, bingo, bowling, playing cards, spending time at the casinos and betting on the horses. She also was an avid Cowboys fan and loved watching them on TV.

She is predeceased by her beloved husband, Anthony "Tony" Maffei, brothers, Andrew "Andy" DeSano, Louis DeSano, John DeSano, Henry "Hank" DeSano, and Frank DeSano, sisters, Fanny Reid, Rose DeSano, Ann Pazunas, and Josephine Price, and loving canine companion, Casper.

Mary is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Terry and Ron Hall of Sayre, PA, son and daughter-in-law, David and Kris Maffei of Athens, PA, and daughter and son-in-law, Melinda and Joel Myers, of Milan, PA, grandchildren, Sean Hall of Sayre, PA, Rodney, Jr. and Sarah Hall of Elmira, NY, Lori and Ken Wood of Waverly, NY, Brianne Maffei of Athens, PA, and Abbey Maffei of Athens, PA, great-grandchildren, Aaliyah Hall of Sayre, PA, Nicholas Hall of Syracuse, NY, and Bella Hall of Sayre, PA. She is also survived by her sister, Gloria White, sister-in-law, Gale (Paul) Waters, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, George and Rose Maffei, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and grandfurbabies.

Friends and family may call on Friday, September 13, 2019 from 2pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm at the Jay E. Lowery Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., 225 South Main Street, Athens, PA. A Memorial Mass will be held at the Church of the Epiphany, 304 South Elmer Avenue, Sayre, PA, on Saturday, September 14, 2019 at 9:30am with the Rev. Andrew Hvozdovic officiating.

Burial will be at the convenience of the family.