Mary Ann "Marion" Herzog

Mary Ann "Marion" Herzog of Saratoga Springs, New York, left this world just days after celebrating her 88th birthday, where she had been surrounded by family and friends. She quietly and bravely entered the presence of our Lord on September 4th, 2026.

Born on September 1, 1938, to Frank and Katerina Kemlage of East 66th Street in New York City, Mary Ann attended St. John Nepomucene Elementary School, Cathedral High School, and Thorpe Secretarial School.

After marrying her beloved husband, Robert Lawrence Herzog, on September 6th, 1958, Mary Ann moved "upstate," where she and Robert made their home for many years in Kingston, New York. They later moved to LaGrangeville, New York, where they lived happily with summers of vegetable gardening, autumns of school band performances, and winters of warm holiday memories. Mary Ann later moved to Aloha Park in New Paltz, to be nearer her sisters, and then on to Saratoga Springs for her final years to live near her daughter and family.

Mary Ann was a devoted mother. She was often found with her children at their baseball games, swim meets, trumpet lessons, choir and band concerts, dance recitals and theatre shows when they weren't visiting Betty's pool, by the lake with Fran, or at Frank and Darlene's for Sunday Brunch after church. Mary Ann will be most keenly missed by her grandchildren on special holidays, at weekly Sunday dinners, and in the daily Wordle Group Chat.

Mary Ann was predeceased by her husband, Robert in 1981; her parents; and her siblings: Michael Kemlage, Betty (Bernadine) Cambalik, Katie (Catherine) Corbin, and, most recently, her brother Frank Kemlage and sister Frances Sikula. She was also predeceased by beloved nieces and nephews and brothers- and sisters-in-law.

She is survived by her children Joanne Califano (Mark) of Mukilteo, WA; Suzanne Hausam (Kenneth) of Middle Grove, NY; and Robert F. Herzog (Sarah) of Hyde Park, NY. She also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren Lauren, Marissa, Hannah, and Jayden Califano; Emily, Kara, and Nathaniel Hausam; and Jacob and Logan Herzog. She is also survived by brothers Bernard Kemlage and Joseph Kemlage.

Mary Ann began her working career in New York City as a secretary. Among her early positions was working for the vice president of Phillip Morris, where she put her knowledge of Pitman shorthand to use taking dictation. She later became a bookkeeper and then an Administrative Assistant and enjoyed witnessing the remarkable changes in technology throughout her career - from the Dictophone and adding machine to electric typewriters and computers of today. In her younger years, Mary Ann worked in an accounting firm covering eleven radio stations. She later held positions with APH Corporation, IBM World Trade, and the St. Francis Hospital Emergency Department. She gleefully retired in 2000 to spend time with her siblings, children, and growing number of grandchildren.

Mary Ann was an artist with pencil drawings and dabbled in oils, a wonderful cook of traditional meals, a talented writer, and an enthusiastic player of games of chance. She sang in church choirs as a young woman, was handy with a sewing machine, and fearlessly tried new things like quilting. Mary Ann enjoyed traveling across the US from coast to coast, and abroad to Rome and the Bahamas. She has always enjoyed getting people together, whether it was for a fun LCR game with her neighbors or a family holiday party rich with games and Slovak traditions.

Mary Ann's love of family and her relentless, quick-witted sense of humor are the qualities for which she will be remembered best.

Services celebrating Mary Ann's full and extraordinary life will be held on Friday, September 11th, 2026, at 10:00am in St. Columba Church, 835 Route 82, Hopewell Junction, NY. This Mass of Christian Burial will be followed by inurnment at St. Denis Cemetery, 604 Beekman Road, Hopewell Junction. Family and friends are warmly invited to join together in prayer and remembrance,  and to gather afterward in celebration of Mary Ann's life.

In Mary Ann's parting words to her family from her memoirs, she says, "The biggest gift I could leave you is your faith in God. May God Bless you and protect you in this life. In turn, remember Him every day. (The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit). And always pray to Mary, our Mother in Heaven. Love ya always and forever."

In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated in Mary Ann's honor to one of these organizations favored by Mary Ann: St. Josephs Church of Greenfield Center, NY;  Saratoga Hospital Foundation; or the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Please visit her tribute page at www.mchoulfuneralhome.com.