Mrs. Maryann (Guido) VanDreason

EAST UTICA - Mrs. Maryann (Guido) VanDreason, age 62, passed away on Sunday, April 18, 2021 after being stricken at home by an unexpected complication of her illness. Born in East Utica on May 14, 1958, Maryann was the daughter of the late Vincent R. and Phyllis (Alfano) Guido. She was proud of her birthplace and Italian heritage and wanted to be remembered for the love she had for her childhood home and neighborhood! She was a graduate of T.R. Proctor High School/Class of 1976. On September 29, 1984 she married Mark R. VanDreason. They started out as friends, and came to love one another, a love that lasted nearly 37 years. God graced them with the gift of two sons, and she was fortunate enough to know two beautiful grandchildren, and their family was complete. Maryann worked at Chicago Market as a cashier and was promoted to Office Coordinator. She loved the store’s loud speaker when she would randomly call out for needs in different departments, even if you were standing in front of her. She was then off to Great American Supermarket in the Whitesboro Plaza where she met her handsome husband. She concurrently worked for the Paramount Greeting Card Company where she tended to the displays. She also worked to follow the well-being of her boys as a Lunch Monitor for the Utica City School District at Christopher Columbus Elementary School. She was also a New York State licensed hairdresser and owned and operated a shop on Mohawk Street known as the “Hair Hut” for nearly 12 years. She went big time when she joined the family at Chanatry’s Hometown Market. She was so proud to be the cook, or as she was affectionately known, the Queen of Hot Foods! She incorporated her sacred and secret family recipes into her preparations, and she absolutely loved and lived for the interactions with co-workers and patrons. She was incredibly proud that she could have a position that allowed her to have the ability to cook, which she was so masterful at and receive the accolades of those who were fortunate enough to purchase her creations. Due to ill health Maryann could no longer fulfill her duties, but still watched to see what Chanatry’s Specials of the Week would be in the Sunday paper. Maryann was simply a great person, generous of heart and graced with wisdom. She was so many things to so many people. She held loyalty in high honor and fervently felt that family always came first. Although she was old-school in the way she lived life, she was comical and created her own language via her vibrant East Utica dialect and dynamic lingo. She took things in stride, but was willfully strong because of growing up with two brothers. And, do not speak about her family in an unflattering way, because the hand would go up! She had stamina and a steadfast work ethic, a trait she inherited from her parents. She would roll with the punches and was known to “throw a few”! She worked at every relationship, whether she knew you for 30 minutes or 30 years, and her friends were her family. She was an old soul and had the maturity of the generations that went before her, and she lived by the golden rule. She wanted to please people and be happy as well. As a mom, Maryann raised her boys to be the best they could be. She was enthusiastically supportive of their sporting events and volunteered to help in any way she could show her love. She was so proud of the men they grew up to be, and they truly were an extension of her. As a grandma, she was ecstatic and she literally and figuratively pampered her grandkids, an attribute she learned from her mom. Everything was a family affair, and the family became a village; she was happy with that, and the memories of a lifetime that lived within her. Being a Guido, the love in her heart was motivated by the mantra, “Blood is thicker than water”. At times, her passions would turn to emotions, another form of her expressions of love. A proud woman, she may not have been right, but she was never wrong! She had friends for all seasons and held each one close. She loved talking on the phone and checking in with friends and family. If anyone needed a meal, it was her mission to cater it. At the casino, she was a ‘slot-machine queen’, escorted by good people, and she always had to drive. For television entertainment, it was Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, and The Price is Right. She loved to shop for sales and claims she was the first customer ever of the local Aldi’s and could also often be found perusing the Dollar Tree. She loved a good deal and would call others to tell them about it. Maryann manifestly loved her parents, sacrificed with and for them, and held those memories close. Her mom’s home was the center for gathering of multi-generations. Sundays were dinner at Mom and Dad’s, beginning a little after 11:30 after church, and lasting all day. After dinner, Pitch was the game, and on Thanksgiving, it was Pokeno. And at times, it got intense! It was easy to visit the homestead everyday, and although the routine changed when Maryann became ill, the family bond became stronger just as her relationship with the Lord and belief in his words gained strength at well. A devout Catholic and communicant of St. Anthony & St. Agnes Church, she attended Tuesday night Novenas to St. Anthony, followed by coffee at Phil’s house. It is often said that “you’ll never meet someone like her”, but sincerely and with no doubt her family and her friends will validate her uniqueness and her extraordinary gestures that will be very hard to be duplicated in another woman. So farewell Mar, be safe, and please watch over all of us. Maryann is survived by her devoted husband, Mark; her adored sons and daughter-in-law, Mark K. and Nicole VanDreason, and Matthew V. VanDreason; her grandchildren who were the loves of her life, Emma Ann, and Robert Andre VanDreason; her older and admired brother and sister-in-law, David A. and Donna M. Guido. When her brother Vinny died on October 7, 1993, it was surreal and everyone hopes that their togetherness now will fill her heart. She will also remain in the souls of her niece, Lindsay A. Guido (also her godchild) and Matthew J. Talerico; and her nephew and great-niece, David A. III and his wife Andrea Guido and their daughter Serina Richie; cousins, Debbie (Alfano) Loven [who embraced each other as sisters] and Debbie’s husband Joe Loven, Larry and Debbie Guido; the memory of her adored cousin, Richard J. Guido who passed away on September 24, 2014, as well as Larry and Richie’s mother; Jackie Guido (2010) who was very special to her; Maryann and Brian Snow, and all the Zammiello cousins; her uncle, Pat Alfano; and aunt, Isabelle Guido. Maryann was also godmother to over 20 children because she was special, and her efforts were always to stay close to them. She was also a very special person in the lives of Mark’s family, her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Robert and Phyllis VanDreason (her Pitch partners who loved Maryann as a daughter); in-laws, Richard and Tracey VanDreason, Michael and Mickey VanDreason, Steven VanDreason, Ruth Ann and Matthew Techmanski, and Keith and Audra VanDreason; nieces and nephews, Trapper, and Griffin; McKenna; Aria, and Elias; Aniela, and Adam (godson); and Sydney, Madison, and Sierra; and her multitude of friends that will remain friends, …forever. The family is grateful to Dr. Fred Talarico, the physician who knew her so well and tended to her medical needs honestly; the staff of the Dialysis Unit at St. Luke’s Home and the MVHS Outpatient Unit; the doctors, nurses and staff at MVHS at St. Elizabeth Medical Center ER, and ICU for their medical expertise; and the members of the Utica Fire Department for their numerous timely responses. Visitation will be held Monday, April 26, 2021 from 4:00-6:30 at the Eannace Funeral Home, Inc., 932 South St., corner of Hammond Ave. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Maryann’s funeral service and Celebration of Life which will commence on Tuesday morning at 10:30 at St. Anthony & St. Agnes Church where her Mass of Christian Burial will be offered. Face masks are required and social distancing and contact tracing will be implemented at both locations. Interment will follow graveside in St. Agnes Cemetery. During this time of social distancing that we are all experiencing, please take a moment to connect with Maryann’s family through the “Memories” section of her obituary. Our prayers go out to all as a sign of our continued support.

Mrs. Maryann (Guido) VanDreason

May 14, 1958 - April 18, 2021