Obituary of Mary E. Predel

Mary Elizabeth Predel Rexford - Mary Elizabeth Predel (née Weatherwax), 92, entered into eternal rest on March 16, 2024, 3 weeks after complications from a fall. Born on March 12, 1932, in Rotterdam Junction, NY, she lived a full and blessed life. She was the widow of the late Thaddeus A. Predel, who predeceased her in love and life. A matriarch to her family, Mary is survived by her devoted children John (Pamela Nunziato) Paige Jr., Joseph (JoAnn) Paige, Jeffrey A. Paige, and Jody (Deborah) Paige. She was a cherished grandmother to 13, a proud great-grandmother to 17, and a delighted great-great-grandmother to one. She now joins in Heaven her late parents Jennie Ann Pritchard and Walter Joseph Weatherwax, her beloved husband Thaddeus, her sons Jerry and James Paige, and her granddaughter Audrey Paige. Mary liked to say that "she was born a junkie and would die a junkie" but her lifestyle had nothing to do with drugs or alcohol. She literally meant junk. She would fondly recall summer days in her youth where she would trail behind her father as he visited farms asking for paper, rags, or iron. Predel was the 12th of 15 children and her father started picking up scrap in the Great Depression to help feed his family. When she was a child, Mary's father sold scrap to T.A. Predel. Years later, when Mary was a divorced mother of 6 who needed a job, "Mr. Predel" hired her as a bookkeeper in 1962. In 1976, Mary remarried, and became part-owner of T.A. Predel and company. After Thaddeus's death on Christmas Day 1988, she ran the business until it was sold in November 2018. 56 years as an employee and 30 years as the head of a major company, is a career that is remarkable for a woman of that time. Working in downtown Schenectady would only be part of her life's work and on Feb 10, 2000, she set her sights on her farm and opened Predel's Ranch. A quaint farm store that would sell farm raised eggs, meat, and other delectables such as pies and spreads. It was a perennial host of Farm Fest which delighted many families in the area. She would often leave one business just to drive and run the other in the same day, not a usual activity for a woman in her 80s! Her commitment to work was only in competition with her commitment to faith. Settling into Clifton Park, Mary was a pillar of the Shenendehowa United Methodist Church, where she was a major contributor both in work and in philanthropy. Her donations lead to the completion of the churches' room, multiple stained-glass pieces, and general support. Her time was spent on almost every position in the church as well as a representative to many United Methodist national conventions. Her faith was a huge influence on those inside and outside of her family. The Paige family extends their gratitude to the Daly Funeral Home for their compassionate assistance with the funeral arrangements. Friends and relatives are invited to pay their respects and celebrate Mary's life. Calling hours Friday evening 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Daly Funeral Home, Inc. 242 McClellan St., Schenectady, NY 12304 Funeral service Saturday morning March 23, 2024, 9 a.m. at the Shenendehowa United Methodist Church, 971 NY-146, Clifton Park, NY 12065 Interment Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery, Niskayuna. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary's memory to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Her grace, spirit, and memory will forever be treasured by those who were fortunate to know her. Eternal rest grant unto Mary, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen.