Mary J. Racz

Mary J. Racz passed away peacefully from natural causes on April 27th, 2016 at the Kennedy Health Care Center in Sewell, NJ. She was 101. Mary was born in Lookout, Kentucky to parents Mike Johns and Helen Varga, both immigrants from Hungary, on September 19th, 1914. Mary had 5 sisters (Helen, Irene, Peggy, Ethel and Emma) and two brothers (Mike and Joe). Mary was truly a coal miner’s daughter. She grew up in Roda, Virginia where her father was a coal miner with the Stonega Coke and Coal Company and her mother was a homemaker. The family lived in the coal mining camp in a “company” house and bought their groceries at the “company” store which were then delivered on a dray wagon. Mary attended grade school in the local school in Roda until 6th grade. The middle school was too far away for Mary to continue her education, but she later received her GED, one of her proudest achievements. During World War II Mary and her older sister Helen moved to New York City to work for Westinghouse Electronics, supporting the war effort. This is where Mary met her husband to be Stephen J. Racz, a radio officer in the Merchant Marines. They married in 1943 and were together for 43 years until his death in 1986. After the war, Mary and Steve settled in Goldsboro, MD where Steve was an accountant with Cooklyn Dairies. They were members of the Goldsboro Methodist Church, where Mary taught Sunday School and Bible School. They later moved to Woodbury, New Jersey and then Pitman, New Jersey and then back to Goldsboro where Stephen died in 1986. Mary returned to Pitman after his death. Mary had a 15 year career with the W.T. Grant Company in Woodbury, Pitman and Millville, working as a sales person. She retired in 1980. Mary was a dedicated wife and mother. Mary loved classical music and she and Steve had an extensive collection of classical records. She was also an accomplished seamstress, a skill she learned while living in the coal mining camp. She loved to crochet, knit and do needlepoint. She was a Cub Scout Den mother while living in Goldsboro. She also spoke fluent Hungarian. Mary is survived by 3 sons, Stephen (Pitman, NJ) and wife Betty, William (Boise, ID) and wife Cheryl, Timothy (Boone, NC) wife Cathy, 5 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren. SUGGESTED DONATIONS IN LIEU OF FLOWERS ARE TO YOUR LOCAL ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION, WWW.ALZ.ORG.

Mary J. Racz

September 19, 1914 - April 27, 2016