Mary Ann Flaviano

Warren, Ohio - Mary Ann Flaviano passed away surrounded by family and friends at Shepherd of the Valley in Howland on Sunday, March 26, 2023 after a brief (non-Covid-related) illness. Mary Ann enjoyed a very happy childhood with her parents Joe and Ann Patrone and her siblings Delores, Rosalind and Joe on Mahoning Avenue in Warren.

During her studies at Roosevelt Elementary, Turner Middle School and Warren G. Harding High School she made many lifelong friends including Charlene (Jervis) Monteneri, Shirley Jervis and Carmela Niemi. Her main focus in high school was secretarial studies, which took her quite far in her work career - beginning as a secretary at a local architectural firm and ending as a loan officer for Bank One (Chase) upon her retirement in 1996.

Mary Ann met the love of her life Tony “Butch” Flaviano at a bowling night with friends in the early 1960s and the two were immediately smitten. She was embraced by the Flaviano family and dearly loved all of her new sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and her in-laws Rocco and Vera Flaviano of Niles, Ohio. After Tony completed his service in the U.S. Air Force, being stationed in Amarillo, Texas and Luxembourg, Europe (where Mary Ann visited her betrothed with her sister Rosalind as chaperone) the two were wed at St. Joseph’s Church in Warren on April 16, 1966.

Mary Ann and Tony welcomed their first child, Ronald Anthony, on August 1, 1968 and their second, Rosalind Ann, on August 22, 1969. Being so close in age, Mary Ann decided to become a stay-at-home mom and made sure her children learned to speak, read and count at very early ages - well prepared for kindergarten. During these formative years, she also taught both of her children how to cook - including many of her specialties - homemade sauce and meatballs, braciole, Italian wedding soup, pizzelles, apple cake and her famous chocolate chip cookies. Many of these recipes she had learned from her own mother and mother-in-law. Mary Ann was also an AVON lady when her children were small, often taking them in their gold Pontiac GTO to visit clients and deliver make-up and colognes.

Mary Ann and Tony sacrificed to send both of their children to parochial schools in Warren from kindergarten through high school - St. James Elementary, St. Mary’s Middle School, and John F. Kennedy High School. While her children were at St. James, Mary Ann volunteered as a kindergarten aide with Maggie Gintner and as a school librarian. She also organized several rummage sales, raffles and bake sales to raise money for the school held in the gymnasium. She shared special bonds with her family members, taking annual camping trips with her sister Rosalind, her husband Bill Grodesky and their children Brian, Janene and Scott - visiting Virginia and Myrtle Beaches. In addition, she spent many afternoons with her brother-in-law Rocky, his wife Nancy and their children Rocky, Ricky, Randy and Robbie flying over scaled remote-controlled airplanes. Once her children completed middle school, Mary Ann returned to the work force, once again in banking - picking up where she left off in 1968. She also assisted with the opening and staffing of her brother Joey and sister-in-law Kathy’s jewelry store J & K Jewelers in Warren, Ohio.

Mary Ann was very proud of the scholastic and professional achievements of her children, and was always their biggest cheerleader and supporter.

Once the children were finished with college, Mary Ann and Tony took many special vacations to the New England states, Nashville and the Smokey Mountains.

Mary Ann was devoted to her Roman Catholic faith and supported the efforts of her parish St. James Church in Warren, Ohio. She also confirmed her nieces Pamela Bufwack and Patricia Romanski.

When she became a grandmother to grandson Michael and granddaughter Vanessa, Mary Ann and her husband spent many of their retirement years helping raise them - giving them both the same educational skills that would benefit them both. Mary Ann was also very community oriented, becoming a precinct woman for her ward and volunteering at many local and presidential elections.

After the loss of her husband in 2006 and the loss of her closest friend Charlene in 2007, Mary Ann forged ahead spending time with her family, testing out the latest cooking devices, playing Scrabble and word-find puzzle, and watching basketball - especially her favorites the Cleveland Cavaliers. Once a friend of Mary Ann, always a friend - as she seldom forgot a birthday - always sending cards or special birthday phone calls.

Mary Ann is survived by her children Ron of Warren, Roz of Niles, grandchildren Michael (Marissa) Mann of Broadview Heights, Vanessa (Michael) Mann of Cuyahoga Falls, close family friends Mark Peyko, Tim Fowler, Shirley Jervis, Carmela Neimi, Lauren and Fred Housel, Jeff and Patty Housel, special neighbors Rick and Theresa Raeburn, Sue and Lenny Santagata, her brother-in-law Luke Monteforte and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents Joe and Ann (Hatala) of Warren, her in-laws Rocco and Vera Flaviano of Niles, sisters Delores Romanski of Boardman and Rosalind Grodesky of Warren, brother Joe of Boynton Beach, Florida, brothers-in-law Rocky Flaviano, George Bufwack, Sam Biviano, George Kish, Bill Grodesky, Vincent Romanski, sisters-in-laws Mary Bufwack, Violet Kish, Laura Biviano, Yolanda Monteforte, Nancy Flaviano, nephews Greg Monteforte and Rocky Flaviano II, niece Georgeann Dobbs and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Per Mary Ann’s wishes, she was celebrated in a private ceremony with Father Cicero at the Peter Rossi & Son Memorial Chapel in Warren and interred at All Souls Cemetery in Cortland. Mary Ann asked of her children to celebrate her life at a non-funeral-related event where family and friends could laugh and share special memories. Ron and Roz will share the information of this life celebration once plans are finalized.

If you would like to contribute in Mary Ann’s memory, she was passionate about the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and her parish St. James (St. Elizabeth Ann Seton) Parish in Warren, Ohio.

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