Marcella A. Uhlman

June 28, 2022. Beloved wife of Frank L. Uhlman; loving mother of Elizabeth (Roland) Berg, Margaret (Stephen) O’Toole and Lawrence (René) Uhlman; grandmother of Jessica and Conner O’Toole and Oma of Ruah and Leah Uhlman; sister of the late Mary Catherine (late Clement) Donner; Sr. Mary of the Rosary, SSMN and Park Forde; sister-in-law of Dolores Forde; also survived by nieces and nephews. Family will be present Tuesday, July 5th, from 3-6 PM at the PERNA, DENGLER, ROBERTS FUNERAL HOME, 1671 Maple Road, Williamsville. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered Wednesday, July 6th, 10 AM at St. Pius X Church. (Please assemble at Church). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Marcella’s name made to Sacred Heart Home, Roswell Park Alliance Foundation or Hospice Buffalo Inc. would be appreciated. Online condolences to www.denglerrobertspernafuneral.com

Marcella Agnes Uhlman, 86, passed away peacefully at the Sacred Heart Adult Home in Clarence on June 28th. Born Marcella Agnes Forde in Buffalo, she was a woman equally dedicated to education, family, and her Catholic faith. Early on in her life she showed an exceptional aptitude for and interest in academics. She won a full scholarship to Mount Saint Mary’s Academy then attended Merrimack College in northeastern Massachusetts on a partial scholarship. She graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and was recognized by her classmates for her “vivacious personality and diversified intellectual interests.”

Marcella was accepted into Georgetown Law School in 1958 as part of only the eighth class to admit women. After a strong performance her first year, she was asked to write for the prestigious Georgetown Law Review. After earning her law degree, Marcella successfully passed the New York State bar exam in 1961 and became one of the first women to practice law in Erie County. During this time, she met Frank Uhlman.

The couple were married in August of 1963 and had the first of their three children, a daughter Elizabeth, in June of 1964. The following year, Frank was relocated to Birmingham, Alabama where they had their second daughter, Margaret. They eventually moved back north and settled in New Jersey where they would live for over thirty years. They had a son, Lawrence, in 1969 and Marcella became a dedicated caretaker of the three young children.

This was a period that saw Marcella pursue teaching, the main interest of her adult life. Marcella’s first job was educating the children. Field trips to historical locations throughout the state were a frequent occurrence and the home was filled with books. Prominent in the dining room was a dictionary always open to settle disputes during the lively debates she so dearly loved. As the children got older, Marcella began to teach professionally, first at Christopher Academy Montessori School, then English at Union County Community College, and Latin at St. Rose of Lima Academy. During this time, Marcella also dedicated time to her own ongoing education taking many classes in Latin and Greek at Drew University. She also independently studied for and passed the New Jersey state bar exam.

Marcella was an active member of her parish, Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church. She chaired the annual Country Fair, served as president of the PTSA, and was a Eucharistic Minister. Marcella’s devotion to her faith community was an inspiration to all.

The last two decades of her life saw Marcella move back to her beloved Western New York. She returned to Mount Saint Mary’s to teach Latin and oversee the Academy Scholars program that she founded. And she continued to pursue her love of Greek and Roman antiquity.

Marcella was deeply loved by her students, her church community, and her family. She is survived by her husband Frank, their three children, four grandchildren and her many nieces and nephews in the greater Buffalo area.