Mary "Toots" Piectrazak

Mary Berckman Sheppard Piectrazak (Toots) left us on March 10, 2024 from her own bed in her own room in her own home and she was not alone even in her last moments. Family was able to come to her to say goodbye, express their love of her and reassure her all of us are well. The angels who cared for her over the past four years came by to hold her hand, say goodbye and pass their love and care onto us. Mom loved all of those who helped her everyday saying, "I am well cared for. Don't worry about me."
Born on April 23, 1930, mom grew up in Nether Providence, PA with her mother, Maude, father Ted, and her two brothers, Frank and Teddy. She was described to us as a "pistol" in her childhood and cheerleading teen years earning her the handle "Toots or Tootsie." She wore that nickname well.
How to describe mom? Toots loved a joke, specifically a dirty one. Toots was a dancer and a singer and a flirt. She enjoyed playing cards (poker) and cribbage as well board games cheating every chance she got. Her drink preference transformed from rum and coke to a spicy Bloody Mary and she became an avid reader with a solid liking of historical novels focused on strong, influential women of her generation – and movie stars. She loved black jelly beans, coconut Easter eggs, blue cheese dressing (the more the better) but not all together. Actually, she loved anything sweet. Her past-times included knitting, painting and pocket billiards.
Mom was brave. She saved her three young daughters by taking them away from their father and her abusive husband when being a divorced woman in the 60's was a badge of shame. She, and therefore we, refused to wear that label.
She loved an adventure. Mom traveled to foreign lands and met people easily. Mom respected those "formally educated" but was never impressed by titles - with the exception of the British Royal Family.
Mom did not complain – sometimes to her detriment. She did not judge others and kept her nose out of others business. You knew when she liked you. And when she didn't. Advice was offered if and when requested and was most often on target. Of course, she drove us crazy at times as all mothers do their children.
Mom married Marion Piectrazak in 1972. Mergy took we three girls as his own and gave into mom at every turn. We loved him too.
In her 50's Toots transferred from the Sun Oil Marine Department where she was employed as a secretary to a position in the galley of the Sun Oil tankers. Shipping out from various ports around the globe, with a home port located in Marcus Hook, PA, she loved the sea and her shipmates. Mom worked in the steward department, made life-long friends and came home with sea stories of her adventures, ship mates and close calls. Her grandchildren thought she was a pirate! In retirement she did volunteer work as a cook on the tall ship Kalmar Nyckel of Wilmington, Delaware.
Toots is survived by her older brother, Frank Berckman of Massachusetts. Her younger brother, Teddy Berckman of California, predeceased her. She has three daughters, Sharon Lee Rogers and husband Larry Horgan of Ithaca, N.Y, Pauline D. Michel and partner David Michel of Kennett Square, PA and Jennifer Mary Kontaxis of NYC. Toots has three grandchildren from Pauline and David. Hannah Eve Michel of NYC, NY, Sam A.D. Michel and his wife Ashlee of West Chester, PA and Maude Bess Michel and her fiancé Sam Schube of Los Angeles, CA. Sam and Ashlee gave Toots a great-grandson, Max A., in April 2023, who was a tremendous joy to mom during his first year of life and her last.
Over the last several years every phone conversation we had with mom began with us asking that she turn the TV down. Hearing aids were loudly suggested to her and her response was, "I don't need hearing aids." Then, she would report to us what movie she was watching – usually "the best movie ever made" such as Ben Hur, My Fair Lady, a World War II movie or Kingsman. "How are all the kids?! How's my great-grandson?" was her opening line to me on each call or visit followed by showing her photos on my phone of her grandchildren and Max.
We continue to love her and miss her funny and sometimes silly ways that we see reflected in each of us. Mom requested her ashes be scattered in the Delaware breakwater as this is symbolic to east coast seamen of coming home. She did not want an urn for her ashes – just a cardboard box so as not to "waste the money."
Please plant a lilac, her favorite shrub, and salute her with a spicy, like her, Bloody Mary. Smooth sailing mom.