Mariann J. Macko, 89, of Wallace, NC, passed away peacefully on June 9, 2026. She will be remembered for her incredible strength, beating cancer multiple times, and her love of family and friends. She found pleasure in the simple joys of a nice mani-pedi, a trip to the hair salon, a good cup of coffee or a cold glass of white wine.

A proud lifelong resident of New York for most of her life, Mariann attended Commerce High School in Yonkers, NY. She went on to build a dedicated career as a legal secretary for the Law Firm of Lanna, Coppola and Rosato for over 50 years, making lifelong friends along the way. She spent many cherished years taking her parents and kids to a small cabin in Smallwood, NY, a special property that is still owned by her grandson today. She missed New York State greatly after moving south and looked back fondly on the vibrant life she built there.

Mariann and her husband of 47 years, John M. Macko III, shared a long history together, beginning as children growing up on "the Hill" on Garfield Street in Yonkers. They resided in Yonkers until 2016, splitting their time with a second home in Chichester and then Windham, NY, before ultimately relocating to River Landing in Wallace, NC, in 2019. Together, they shared countless adventures over nearly five decades of marriage from nostalgic early years at the the Woodland Valley Inn in Phoenicia, NY, many Okonite client dinners, conventions and Broadway shows, a memorable trip to Hong Kong, to their final NCL Caribbean cruise out of New York in 2019 just before moving to Wallace.

A meticulous homemaker, Mariann took great pride in keeping a spotless house and often found doing laundry or ironing to be therapeutic. More than anything else, she loved going out to dinner and socializing. Whether she was enjoying Italian at Vesuvio Restaurant in Hensonville, NY, her favorite mussels at Brasserie Du Soleil in Wilmington, NC, lobster tails at Ruth's Chris, or a quick bite at the River Landing Club, she cherished getting dressed up, sharing a meal, and being out in the world.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Benjamin and Mildred Messar; her sons, Robert and Richard Parks; and her siblings, Frank Madden, Eileen Madden-Kwechin, Benjamin Messar, and Evelyn Messar.

Mariann is survived by her husband, John M. Macko III, her stepson, John M. Macko IV, and his wife, Kim, her stepdaughter, Holly Young, and her husband Michael, as well as her grandchildren Tricia Parks-Brodhagen, Richie Parks, Grace Young, MacKenzi Ann Macko, Joshua Young, and John Michael Macko.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home in Wallace, NC. A Catholic Funeral Mass will follow on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at 11:00 AM at Transfiguration Catholic Church in Wallace, NC.

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Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home of Wallace, North Carolina   910-285-4005