Mary Anne Semski the former Mary A. Buszka, passed away on Tuesday, November 11, 2014, after a brief illness. She was born in Buffalo, New York on February 23, 1922.

Mary was the beloved wife of the late Leonard J. Semski, devoted mother of Mary S. (Joseph) Zeitchick, of California and Margaret Andres, of Germany and loving grandmother of Erik, Darius and Ian Andres.

The dearest sister of Helen (Ted) Weiksnar and the late Edwina (late George) Kempf and sister-in-law of Virginia Kempf.

Dear aunt of Melissa (Jeff Caruso) Weiksnar, Rev. Jud Weiksnar, OFM, Greta (Chris) Pinto, John Weiksnar, Katherine (Timothy) Sherry, Mary Frances (James) Nowocien, Christine Kempf and Dr. James (Dr. Melinda) Kempf.

Mrs. Semski was a graduate of the Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart and received her Bachelors degree in Education at Buffalo State Teachers College. During her college years she also studied Undertaking under her father, John J. Buszka and mother Sophia (nee Urban) Buszka, founders of the John J. Buszka Funeral Home. After apprenticing under her Father's watchful eye, she received her New York State Undertaker License, which would allow her to own and operate a Funeral Home in New York State and were only available till the early 1950's. After that time, a Funeral Directors license would be needed to open a new Funeral Home.

In 1944 she began her professional career as a primary school teacher in the Hamburg public school system in Athol Springs. In 1945 because of her music background, she added music to her teaching duties. The following year she was instrumental in introducing a kindergarten program to the Cheektowaga School System, on Alexander Street.

In 1948, while she was teaching in Cheektowaga, her father passed away, and because she was a licensed undertaker herself, she gave up teaching to take over the family business which, her father had founded in 1921.

She was married in 1947 and was joined in the business by her husband, the late Leonard J. Semski. Mr. Semski, a former Postal Employee, then attended and graduated from the Simmons School of Mortuary Science and Embalming, in Syracuse, NY and earned his NY State license as a Funeral Director. Together they conducted the business in its original location on Clinton Street, until they saw the need for a larger facility.  In 1964 they built the new Buszka Funeral Home, Inc. at Clinton and Ogden Streets.  Together they ran the business until Mr. Semski's death in 1985. Mrs. Semski continued to manage the business alone for another 20 years until 2005, when she sold the property and retired. She worked at Buszka for a short time after the sale and then decided to become an affiliate of the Pietszak Funeral Home.

A talented pianist, Mrs. Semski was an accompanist for several Western New York choral groups, including the Echo Singing Society of Niagara Falls, the Niagara University Glee Club, and the I.J. Paderewski Singing Society of Buffalo, which she accompanied for 40 years, retiring in 1992. The Niagara University Glee Club appeared twice in the 1960s as guest artists in the Buffalo Philharmonic Pops Concert series. Mrs. Semski also taught piano privately.

Mrs. Semski, who had the distinction of being one of New York State's last Licensed Female Undertakers, received Honorary membership from the Erie-Niagara Funeral Directors Association in 2013 and was a member of the New York State Funeral Directors Association, National Funeral Directors Association, OperaBuffs of Western New York, Polish Arts Club, Polish Singer Alliance of America – District #9, the former East Clinton Businessmen's Association, as well as the St. Bernard Choir and the area parishes Ladies of Charity, Mother's Club and Rosary Societies.

The family will be present at the Pietszak Funeral Home, 2400 William Street, Cheektowaga, NY, where visitation will take place on Sunday from 2-4 and 6-8 PM.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady of Czestochowa R.C. Church, 2158 Clinton St., Cheektowaga, NY, on Monday at 9:30 AM. All are welcome to attend.

Entombment will follow at St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Resurrection Mausoleum, in Cheektowaga, NY.