Mary Ann Drago

ALBANY----Mary Ann Drago, age 90, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on June 21, 2018 at St. Peter's Hospital.

A devoted mother and grandmother, Mary Ann was an excellent entertainer and cook. She loved to play cards, gamble, drink, smoke and socialize. She also loved to sit at the kitchen table and talk for hours where she would listen and give her sage advice to whomever came to visit. Mary Ann lived in the same home in Albany, New York for the past 50 years, known as the "neighborhood mom" to many. Her home was a home where the door was never locked and always opened to anyone who needed a place to stay, a meal to eat, or a roof over their heads.

Her favorite pastimes were playing a good game of poker, Christmas parties at her home with her entire family, friends and neighbors. She also enjoyed vacations with her daughter Barbara, weekend trips to the casinos with her daughter Rose Ann and grandsons Drew and Mark. She always looked forward to her "Wednesdays with the boys", and spending time at Dori's pool, enjoying the sun. She also enjoyed getting daily visits from her daughters, where she savored every story about her grandchildren. She held nothing dearer to her, however, than her son Edward and daughter Carol, whom she is reunited with in heaven.

Mary Ann was born in NYC and lived in the Bronx, before moving to Albany where she spent most of her life with her five children, grandchildren, extended family and friends. She enjoyed decades of marriage to the love of her life, Babe Drago, until his death almost forty years ago.

Mary Ann also found time in her life for education, and at the age of 45, attended the University at Albany. She retired from the NYS Bill Drafting Commission in 1998. She was extremely smart, independent, feisty, opinionated, strong-willed, and never at loss for words.

Mary Ann was predeceased by her loving husband Babe Drago, son Edward F. Drago, daughter in-law Cindy Drago, daughter Carol Ann Frost, her parents Andrew and Dora Juhase, brother Jonah Juhase and sister Helen Ader. She is survived by her daughters Rose Ann Brown of Albany, NY, Barbara Drago of Loudonville, NY, daughter Dori (Scott) Blanchard of Bethlehem, NY, and daughter in-law Nadine Drago of Cohoes NY. She is also survived by eleven grandchildren: Drew (Nancy) Preston, Mark Preston, Arthur (Karen) Frost, Carl (Janine) Frost, Anya Frost, Jonah (Stephanie) Frost, Jay Frost, Edward Drago Jr., Andrea (Rob) Zaris, Alexandra Velella, Rachael Blanchard, Olivia Blanchard and Nicholas Blanchard, and thirteen great-grandchildren.

Friends are welcomed to call on Tuesday, June 26, 2018 from 4pm-8pm at New Comer Cremations & Funerals, 181 Troy-Schenectady Road, Watervliet, NY 12189.

Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at 9am at All Saints Church 16 Homestead St., Albany, NY 12203. Interment will follow at Our Lady of Angels Cemetery, Colonie, NY.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to New York Presbyterian Hospital for Organ Transplantations: https://give.nyp.org/site/Donation2?df_id=2193&mfc_pref=T&2193.donation=form1