Pityer, Mary Ann

Mary Ann Pityer, 87, of Hillsboro, Wis., passed away Dec. 22, 2009, at Vernon Manor in Viroqua, Wis. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 26, at Picha Funeral Home in Hillsboro. Burial will be Tuesday, Dec. 29, at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery in Cedar Rapids. Friends may call from 11 a.m. to service time Saturday at the funeral home in Hillsboro.

She was born Feb. 17, 1922, to Joseph F. and Albina (Orsak) Pavlicek in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she grew to adulthood, graduating from St. Ludmila's Catholic School and Wilson High School. She also attended Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa. Mary Ann was united in marriage to David Julius Pityer in 1951 in Colorado. They raised three children, David, Jerry and Rita. She worked as a policewoman for the Cedar Rapids Police Department from 1949–51, and for Collins Radio Co. as a production worker during World War II from 1942–45. She also was a lab tech at Quaker Oats and housekeeper and nanny for Mrs. Cohn. In 1956, they moved to Redwood City, Calif., where she worked for Ampex, Regitel Corp. and Melabs.

She enjoyed cooking, gardening, bird watching, reading books and of course, children. She was a member of International Association of Machinists.

Survivors include her son, Jerry (Peggy) Pityer of Elroy, Wis.; daughter, Rita (Bill) Schiller of Hillsboro, Wis.; daughter-in-law, Linda Pityer of Waterloo, Wis.; grandchildren, Andrea (Brad) Albrecht and Katie Pityer; stepgrandchildren, Kevin (Priscilia) Anderson and Meghan (Nick) Colangelo; brother, Joe Pavlicek, and sister, Arlene Weber, both of California; and special nephews, Mike and Mark Weber.

In addition to her husband, David Julius, who died April 11, 1985, she was preceded in death by her parents; a son, David Joseph Pityer; three brothers, Aldrich, Arnold and Lumir Pavlicek; and a sister, Lorraine Erger.

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