Mary Ann Krupsak, who made history as the first woman elected to a statewide office in New York by becoming lieutenant governor in 1974, has passed away at the age of 92.
She died on Saturday at her residence located by Seneca Lake, as indicated in an online obituary released on Thursday.

A dedicated member of the Democratic Party, Krupsak served one term alongside Governor Hugh Carey before deciding to run against him for the Democratic nomination for governor in 1978, a challenge she eventually lost in the primary election.

Born in Schenectady, Krupsak pursued higher education with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester, followed by a master’s from Boston University and a law degree from the University of Chicago.
She entered politics by being elected to the New York State Assembly in 1968, and she consistently held roles in both the Assembly and the Senate prior to her election as lieutenant governor.

New York’s current governor, Kathy Hochul, was among the many who volunteered for Krupsak’s campaign. She shared her condolences via social media platform X, stating, “I worked on her campaign while in high school in 1974, and I was proud to follow in her footsteps forty years later.”

During her time in office, Krupsak championed the preservation of New York City’s iconic Radio City Music Hall, playing a pivotal role in securing its designation as a National Historic Landmark.

After her political career, she became a senior partner at the law firm Krupsak & Mahoney and later co-founded Krupsak, Wass deCzege & Associates, where she continued to make her mark in the legal field.

Krupsak was married to Edwin Margolis, a former state judge, for 23 years until his passing in 1993.
Funeral services are planned for Monday.