Saratoga Springs, NY - Mary P. Racette passed peacefully into Eternal Life on Thursday, October 12, 2017 after a brief illness.

Born July 6, 1934 in Erie, PA, she was a daughter of the late Thomas F. Perkinson and Marion Bode Perkinson. She attended Villa Maria Academy in Erie, PA for Elementary and Junior High School, and moved to Schenectady with her family in 1949. She was Valedictorian of her Nott Terrace High School class and a graduate of the College of New Rochelle with a B.A. in English. She worked as a typesetter and editor for many publishing companies, including Sheet Music Magazine in Katonah, NY. Mary and her husband of 50 years, James, retired in 1998 and moved to Saratoga Springs, NY.

Mary was a brilliant pianist and blessed others with her extraordinary talent in playing for her church, St. Clement's, and for sing-alongs at the Home of the Good Shepherd. She was very active in her church and served others with great compassion. She was a member of Court McLaughlin 422 Catholic Daughters of the Americas and the Saratoga Vicariate Ladies of Charity.

A loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother, Mary was predeceased by her loving husband of 50 years , James H. Racette . She is survived by her children Joseph Racette and his wife Linda Pierce of Midlothian, VA; Ann Racette of Tucson, AZ; Patricia Racette and her partner Javaid Akhtar of Weeki Wachee, FL; Michael Racette and his wife Maura Murphy of Wellesley,  MA; and Catherine Racette and her husband Craig Nelson of Maplewood, NJ; grandchildren Kyle, Scott, Mark, and Claire Racette, Caroline Murphy Racette, Colette and Amy Burruel, Andrea, Carlos, and Monica Zamora, great-granddaughter Serena Zamora; her sisters Catherine Perkinson Sabol of Bronxville, NY a nd Jane Perkinson and husband Willard Reid of Newtown, PA; brother-in-law George W. Racette, Jr. and his wife Dolores of Lafayette Hill, PA; nephew Paul Racette and his wife Meg Gruwell of Oreland, PA; nieces Marian Racette, Theresa AlDamlouji and her husband Zaid of Ambler, PA, and Frances Racette of Charlottesville, VA; and her dear friend Mary Ann Finley.

Relatives and friends may call from 3 to 7pm Wednesday (October 18) at the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs (518 ) 584-5373.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10am Thursday (October 19) in St. Clement's Church, 231 Lake Ave., Saratoga Springs. Burial will be in Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery, Niskayuna, NY.

The Ladies of Charity will meet at 4:30pm Wednesday at the funeral home and the CD of A will meet at 6pm for their services.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.