GENOA - Mary E. "Ma" Armstrong, 98, formerly of Route 90, Genoa, passed away Saturday, July 23, 2005, at Lakeside Nursing Home in Ithaca.

Mary was born Dec. 9, 1906 in Auburn, as a first-generation Irish to be born in America, to the late John and Sarah (O'Byrne) Bolger. She was a life-long resident of Genoa and a homemaker.

Mary was a most devoted mother and had been a baby-sitter to numerous Genoa area children throughout her life. She was a communicant of Our Lady of the Lake Church of King Ferry and had been a member of the church Rosary Society. Mary was a member of the Southern Cayuga Senior Citizens group, and in earlier years was active in the Home Bureau.

She was the widow of the late Robert J. Armstrong, who predeceased her on July 23, 1947.

Mary is survived by her seven children: Helen (Jack) Swearingen, of Moravia; Albert (Donna), of Genoa; Robert (Joy), of Ocala, Fla.; Ada (Grover) Jeffers, of Cooperstown; Dave (Barbara), of Genoa; Gloria (Roy) Cochran, of Lansing; Phil (Judy), of Genoa; and a dear friend who she treated as her own son, Tim (Sharon) Tierney, of Newark Valley; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 27, in Our Lady of the Lake Church, King Ferry, with the Rev. Donald Curtiss as celebrant. Internment will be in Our Lady of the Lake Cemetery.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Shurtleff Funeral Home, 10117 Route 90, Genoa.

Contributions in Mary's memory may be directed to the Lakeside Nursing Home, 1229 Trumansburg Road, Ithaca, NY 14850.