Yvonne Bernice Sozek

Yvonne B. (Prunier) Sozek, age 72, of Schenectady, NY, passed away peacefully on Thursday at Ellis Hospital after a brief illness. She was the loving wife of John S. Sozek, her husband of 47 years, and the loving mother of Jonathan E. Sozek of New Haven, CT. She is also survived by her brothers-in-law, Thomas and James Sozek of Woonsocket, RI.

Yvonne was born in Schenectady, NY, the daughter of the late Edward and Bernice (Yankowski) Prunier, longtime proprietors or the Aristocrat Food Market on Becker Street. A graduate of Notre Dame High School (1969), Yvonne completed a BA at Duquesne University (English, 1973) and an MA at SUNY at Albany (Library and Information Science, 1973). She and John married in 1976. From 1994-2008, Yvonne was the librarian at Notre Dame - Bishop Gibbons School, where she introduced countless students to the joys of reading and learning. She was brave, innovative, and attentive to the people around her. She created the school's website at a time when the internet was still new. For years, she tirelessly assembled the school's yearbook, lovingly preserving the memories of her community.

Yvonne enjoyed animals and had countless pets throughout her life. She had an avid interest in politics and was passionately committed to ensuring equal treatment for all. She finished every day with a book, including dozens of "cozy mystery" novels.

Relatives & Friends are invited to a visitation hour on Friday, Mar. 22th from 11:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. at New Comer Funeral Home, 343 New Karner Road in Colonie, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 1:00 P.M. at St. Luke's Church, 1241 State Street in Schenectady. Burial will be at Memory Gardens Cemetery & Memorial Park at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the Schenectady County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) at countyspca.com. Yvonne's family is grateful for your prayers of thanksgiving for her beautiful life.