Obituary of Mary Ellen Wilsey

Mary Ellen Wilsey, of Lake Placid, New York, beloved wife of Phillip Wilsey, passed away peacefully with him and her daughter by her side at Adirondack Medical Center on Friday, November 20, 2020. She was born in Ogdensburg, New York on September 19, 1941, the daughter of Alfred "Trader Al" Conway and Emma Hare. Mary Ellen attended Lake Placid Central Schools and made an earlier career in the dining and hospitality industry. Mary Ellen married her husband on September 22, 1979 and enjoyed a second career as "The Boss" at Phil's business, Cascade Electric. She loved being at "the shop" and greeting the customers that would come in. Mary Ellen loved people. She and Phil enjoyed many close friendships with people from near and far. Mary Ellen especially enjoyed cruising through town with Phil, sometimes accompanied by her daughter and grandchildren, and would always need to stop and say hello or wave to someone she knew and loved. They frequented the Au Sable Inn in Keene Valley (affectionately known as "Down Below") and developed so many close relationships with friends there and in the community that were like family. There are too many to name that she deeply loved and cared about. Mary Ellen is survived by her husband, Phillip Wilsey, her daughter Penny Schmidt (Hal), her son Robert "Bobby" Bruce and stepsons Aaron Wilsey (Jane) and Rory Wilsey (Stacie). Mary Ellen also leaves behind her brothers Pudge Conway (Kelly) and Tony Conway, brothers-in-law John Wilsey (Debbie) and Gene Wilsey (Linda), and sisters-in-law Linda Rivenburgh and Sandra Swartout. Mary Ellen enjoyed her grandchildren, who all lovingly referred to her as "Gam", Kelsey Bickford (Dan), Jessica Lieberth (Cody), Nicholas Wilsey, Bryan Wilsey, Daniel Wilsey, Nicole Wilsey, Jessica Steenburg (Jim), and Tiffany Schmidt. She loved seeing pictures and videos of her great-grandchildren, Rory, Reid, Zekey, Coby, Daisy, Sadie, Heidi and Jimmy, with another boy on the way. Mary Ellen had many other very special relationships with nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, Courtney, Erin, Margaret (Robbie), Daemon, Camden, Bodie, Luke, Jonathan (Amanda Jo), Mackenzie (Amber), Rebecca (Cody), Jennifer, Nikki, Laurie and Brian. Mary Ellen had an abundance of close friends that she kept in touch with and made a part of her life, treating them all like family. Mary Ellen was predeceased by her parents, her mother- and father-in-law, her brother Lewis Conway (survived by Cindy) and her son, Gregory Bruce. She was also pre-deceased by her step-mothers, Johanna and Mary Jane. A funeral Service will be held on Saturday, July 10th at 2:00 PM at the Adirondack Community Church in Lake Placid. Phil and Mary Ellen will be laid to rest at a later date in a companion urn, per Phil's wishes. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mary Ellen's memory to the Lake Placid Volunteer Ambulance and Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Department. The M. B. Clark, Inc., Funeral Home in Lake Placid, NY is in charge of arrangements. Relatives and friends are invited to share a memory, upload a photograph, or leave condolences at www.mbclarkfuneralhome.com .