Marley Ann Berecka

GLOVERSVILLE- Marley Ann Berecka, age 75, passed away on October 1, 2025 after spending some time in Littauer Hospital fighting pneumonia.She was born the third child of Casimir J. Berecka and Margaret Ann Dolan at St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam, NY.She attended school initially at St. Mary's School in Gloversville, NY. At this time, it was discovered that she had a mental handicap and was removed from regular school classes and began to attend special classes thought to help her catch up. These special classes were beyond Marley's ability at this time. She did attend special classes later as she began to learn more. By high school, Marley took classes at Gloversville High School in Sewing and Sewing Machine Operations. She worked at Johnstown Hospital (Wells House) in the kitchen. At one point, Lexington provided some of the girls with a job with a company that manufactured pillows and/or blankets. A number of folks from Lexington were hired by the company to do this. After a week or two of work, Friday payday came along. The staff showed up for work, but the doors were locked and the building empty. The company had absconded with the product and the payroll for all those employed by them. Marley needed a job. She took it upon herself to create her own resume. She wrote it, proofed it (with a little help), made copies and walked/taxied around Gloversville looking for work. It wasn't very profitable, but she did wind up with a job in the kitchen at the Getman Home. She also managed to get a used car thru her brother Andrew. She studied and had help studying the NYS driving laws, eventually passing the NYS Driver's Test and being issued a license. She then drove wherever she needed to go (as long as it was Gloversville.) After both parents passed away, Marley stayed in the family home by herself until the home was sold by two of her brothers and her sister. At this point, Marley got an apartment on 6th Avenue in Gloversville. As years wore on, she became more dependent on help and thankfully Lexington came about for her. She no longer has the resources to live on her own. Marley was provided a slot at a Lexington House out Route 29 towards and past Meco. There were about 20 Lexington Residents in the house. It wound up being too large for her, so she was transferred to the house at Eagle Mills. This house proved to be a better fit. The clients were provided transportation to the Day Activities on daily basis and returned to the house for supper and bed. This proved to be a long trip to the clients and staff. 1/2 hour for an ambulance from either Littauer Hospital or St. Mary's Hospital proved too long for some of clients. As her health declined, she was moved to Mountainview 1, a residential home staffed by nurses very close to Littauer Hospital.
Marley is survived by her older brother, Jim Berecka and his wife Linda of Grapevine, TX and their daughter Meghan Holloway and two grandsons: Malachi and Ezekiel, as well as her sister Nancy J. Berecka also of Grapevine, TX.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her graveside service on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at 10 a.m. at Prospect Hill Cemetery, Gloversville.
Funeral arrangements have been placed in the care of the Betz, Rossi, Bellinger & Stewart Family Funeral Home, 51 Freemont Street, Gloversville, NY, 12078. Online condolences may be made at www.brbsfuneral.com