Marian J. Akiki, formerly of Clarence, NY, entered into eternal rest on August 19, 2026.

Beloved wife of the late Vincent P. “Vinny” Akiki; devoted mother of Beverly (Peter) Masone, John (Sherrie) Akiki, and David Akiki (Camille Krawczyk); cherished grandmother of Natalie Masone, Vanessa Akiki, Sophia (Cosmo) Veneziale, Marissa (Adam) Cogan, Heléne Masone, Peter V. Masone, Vincent J. Akiki, Victoria Akiki, Vincent D. Akiki, Rocco Akiki; great-grandmother of three; loving daughter of the late Eugene and late Natalie Krawczak and daughter-in-law of the late Helen and late Jacob Akiki; dear sister of Christine “Tee Tee” (late Eddie) Hoeltke and the late Eugene (Terry) Krawczak and late Mildred (late Steven) Makowski; dear aunt of Sue (Jack) Meara and the late Jimmy (Mary Ellen) Krawczak, and many extended family members, and friends. 

Marian's life was grounded in Catholicism. She was proud of the religion into which she was born and remained steadfast in that faith until the end. Through life's joys and hardships, those beliefs sustained her and kept her closely connected to the memory of her beloved husband, Vinny, whom she loved dearly and carried in her heart throughout all the years they were apart.

Widowed at just 29 years old, Marian was faced with the enormous responsibility of raising their three children without her husband beside her. She drew strength from Jesus and from her beloved mother, Natalie, who helped her carry what no young mother should have had to shoulder alone. Beverly, John, and David became Marian's greatest pride and the center of her life.

Through all of life's complexities, Marian loved her children deeply and wanted more than anything to give them opportunities for a better life. Life asked a great deal of her at a very young age, but she remained determined to give her children every opportunity she could. Guided by her Catholic faith, she made certain they received their Sacraments and made great sacrifices to provide each of them with a Catholic high school education.

Marian understood that raising three children alone could not be done without family and was deeply grateful for the cherished relatives who supported her and her children along the way. Among those relationships, Marian shared a special bond with her sister, Christine, lovingly known as "Tee Tee." Their enduring sisterhood remained a treasured part of Marian's life, and to Tee Tee's family, Marian was known as "Aunt Mamie."

Marian loved animals and rarely encountered one she didn't want to care for. Her life was shared with cats and dogs that somehow seemed to find their way to her. To her family, she became known as "Grandma Kitty," a nickname that perfectly reflected the soft spot she always had for animals. Her beloved cat, Bandit, was her cherished companion in her later years, following a long line of treasured animals who brought her joy.

A Buffalonian at heart, Marian was proud of where she came from and took great pride in the home she made for her family. She was an avid reader who loved keeping up with the world around her: politics, sports, current events, pop culture, and whatever everyone was talking about. She faithfully cheered on her Buffalo Bills, Sabres and loved cooking for the people in her life, especially her famous cheesecake everyone will remember.

One of Marian's deepest wishes was to someday be laid to rest with her husband, Vinny. After nearly six decades apart, Marian will now be reunited with him at Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery, where they will share their final resting place together in everlasting love.

Relatives and friends may visit LOMBARDO FUNERAL HOME (Snyder Chapel), 4614 Main Street near Harlem Road, Wednesday, August 26, from 2:00-4:00 PM and 6:00-8:00 PM.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. John Maron Church on Thursday, August 27, at 11:00 AM. Please assemble at church.

In lieu of flowers, and in honor of Marian's cat, Bandit, and all of the cherished animals who came before him, memorial donations may be made to the SPCA Serving Erie County.

***

One Month Without Mom

One month ago today, we said goodbye to Mom.

It is still difficult to believe that an entire month has passed. As our family continues to reflect on those final days and the three unforgettable days we spent honoring her life, I find myself thinking not only about the sadness of losing her, but also about the extraordinary love and care that surrounded her as we accompanied her on her final journey.

We will forever be grateful to Joe, Charlie, Marie, Allison, Lauren, Gina, and the entire Lombardo family for the way they cared for Mom and for all of us. They carried the details and the worry so that we could simply be her family — to gather, remember, pray, grieve, laugh, cry, and love her through those final days together.

We are equally grateful to Father Dany and St. John Maron Maronite Catholic Church for giving Mom such a beautiful and sacred Funeral Mass. Returning to a church that holds so much of our family’s history, surrounded by the faith and traditions that have been part of our lives for generations, brought a sense of peace and connection that is difficult to put into words.

What began as the goodbye we had all been dreading became something very different.

We came to understand that we were not simply watching Mom leave us. We were lovingly accompanying her home — entrusting her to our Heavenly Father, free from suffering and reunited at last with our dad, Vinny.

Those three days changed something in all of us.

They reminded us that grief has something to teach us not only about dying, but about living — to cherish the people we love while they are still with us, to be present, to say the things that matter, to appreciate the life we have been given, and to hold close the faith and family that carry us through this life.

And then, while looking through memories of Mom, I found this little video.

Hearing her voice again stopped me in my tracks.

One of the things I miss most is simply hearing her voice, and of all the things she could have been saying, there she was, in her own words, simply saying, “thank you.”

It somehow felt like the perfect message from Mom herself to everyone who cared for her, prayed for her, came to honor her, loved her, supported us, and helped our family give her the beautiful farewell she deserved.

So one month after saying goodbye, I think I will let Mom have the final word.

Thank you, Mom. For all of it.

And in your own words…

“Thank you.” ❤️

I love you forever,

Beverly