Rosemarie M. Maniak

Maniak, Rosemarie M. Entered into rest July 21, 2024. Beloved wife of the late Albert F. Maniak; devoted mother of Mark (Maggie Bye) Maniak, Mary Maniak, Peter (Susie) Maniak, Martha (Douglas) DeLozier, late Martin (Elnora Baker) Manjak and the late Margaret Ann Maniak; cherished grandmother of Emily, Molly, Bob, Anna, Aria, Madisyn, Conlan and the late Elizabeth; loving daughter of the late Anthony and Caroline (nee Schmerbach) Szumlinski-Sumlee; dear sister of the late Grace Harmon; also survived by nieces and nephews. Rosemarie had three main loves of her life: her family, her faith, and music. Rosemarie worked at American Optical, which is where she met the love of her life, Albert. Smitten by his smile, they were married in 1948. They both shared a love of singing, which was also shared with their children. They were both members of the Froshin Singing Society, the Bavarians, which toured Germany in 1980. Later in life, after they became "empty-nesters", they formed a singing group, the Senior Notes, with friends of theirs in East Aurora and sang in area nursing homes. Even in her last days she was still able to remember the words to the Jeannete McDonald/Nelson Eddie duet, "Indian Love Call" and was always up for a good, rousing Irish song. Even though she had limited formal education, she was an avid reader, especially of religious works, and maintained a certain kind of natural intellectual curiosity, often asking her children for more information on certain topics. She was also ahead of her time regarding the natural foods movement, making her own yogurt and baking her own bread, in the early 1970s, before the advent of natural food stores. In her retirement facility, she also became a keen Scrabble player, with little tolerance for those who either didnt understand the rules, or didnt care to follow them. Her faith provided her strength and courage through the various trials and tribulations of her life, right up to the end of her life. In conversations with her over the last couple of months of her life, she emphasized the need for people to love one another, as she put it, as Christ had taught. A person could have no finer legacy than for others to pursue that goal. Relatives and friends may visit the LOMBARDO FUNERAL HOME (Southtowns Chapel) 3060 Abbott Rd., near Lake Ave. on Friday (July 26) from 5-7PM. A funeral service will be held at New Apostolic Church, 1049 Losson Rd., Cheektowaga on Saturday morning at 10AM. Please assemble at Church. Interment Lakeside Cemetery.