Mary Wheeler

Mary Collins Wheeler

1922 - 2020

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Obituary of Mary Collins Wheeler

Mary Collins Wheeler was born Sept 30, 1922 to Herbert Boyd Collins and Delephene Smith Collins in Charleston, SC. She was raised in East Moriches, Long Island, NY during the summers and on Sanibel Island and Ft Myers, FL during the winters. She graduated from Ft Myers High School in 1940 and from Florida State College for Women (Florida State University) in 1944. She met Harman Wheeler on a blind date while working at the preschool program at FSCW. They were married in October 1946. They had 5 sons born in 1949, 1951, 1952, 1954 and 1958 and in Tallahassee, FL, Dothan, AL and Tampa, FL. They moved from Tallahassee to Tampa in 1955 and lived in Hyde Park. While in Hyde Park, Mary taught home economics at Woodrow Wilson Junior High School. They moved to Temple Terrace in 1960. They lived on the Hillsborough River, endured Hurricane Donna and had the neighborhood swimming pool. They moved to St Petersburg in 1967 and lived on Snell Isle, St Pete Beach, Placido Bayou, and Whispering Waters.

After moving to St Petersburg, Mary and Harman took up sailing. Their first boat was the Seneca, a Columbia 34. It was their learning boat and they learned a lot about sailing with it in all kinds of weather. They later owned the Madre Maria, a Bombay 44 sloop. They sailed the Madre Maria to the Abaco area of the Bahamas for a few months every year during the 80’s and 90’s. Friends and family came to visit them and they were gracious hosts. On board, they had many adventures with the weather, fishing, snorkeling and running aground to name a few. Mary always prepared a fabulous meal in the galley, especially with fresh fish that was caught while sailing.

Mary was a skilled quilter and seamstress and made many of her own outfits, clothing for her children and nieces, and costumes for others. She volunteered during the teacher’s strike of 1968 at Riviera Junior High School and taught Sewing in Home Economics.

Mary and Harman traveled across the US and Canada in their motor home, stopping at friends’ homes and at well-known sites. They were worldwide travelers and had many fond memories of cruising around the world with Dick and Mary Jane Misener on their boat, Tonga. In later years Mary hosted her family on several Caribbean cruises as well as a transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2 from New York to Southampton.

Mary and Harman had a home in Waynesville, NC where they spent summers away from the Florida heat, generously welcoming friends and family to share their beautiful spot in the mountains of western NC. While in NC she made jellies and jams and enjoyed quilting with her group of sewing friends.

Mary was a named Queen of Hearts in 2011 for her philanthropy and many volunteering efforts in the community by The Queen’s Court, Inc. She was a docent at the St Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts, a member of the Stuart Society, Infinity, Boley Angels, Marley Group, Affinity, St Petersburg Woman’s Club, Woman’s Service League, St Petersburg Museum of History, St Petersburg Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, St Petersburg Women’s Chamber of Commerce, St Anthony’s Hospital Auxiliary, St Petersburg Yacht Club and Salty Sisters, International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians, St Petersburg Garden Club, St Petersburg YMCA, Southeastern Guide Dogs, FSU Seminoles Booster, Winchester Creek Country Club, Folkmoot USA, Shady Ladies Quilting Group, and Christ United Methodist Church. She was a proud supporter of the USA Olympic Teams and volunteered her time and resources with Denny Bolesta at the Robert McCord Oral School for the Deaf.

Mary was a loving soul that always had a happy disposition. She was an excellent cook and prepared many family meals that were enjoyed by all, even Greta, the pet Doberman Pinscher one Thanksgiving. She immensely enjoyed playing Bridge with her special groups of friends while in FL and NC. She was an accomplished player but sometimes she just couldn’t get good cards.

Mary was predeceased by her husband, Harman, her parents, her brothers Oliver and John and her oldest son, James Harman. She is survived by her sons, John Patrick (Maria), William Collins (James Gibson), Gordon Lee (Donna) and Samuel Howell (Hilda), 7 nephews and nieces, 4 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.

There will be a viewing at Anderson McQueen Funeral Home from 6pm to 8pm on Friday Sept 25. Her Celebration of life will be from 1pm to 3pm at the St Petersburg Woman’s Club on Sunday, Sept 27. There will be a graveside service at Roselawn Cemetery in Tallahassee, FL on Tuesday, Sept 29 at 1pm.

Charitable contributions can be made to the St. Petersburg Woman’s Club.

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Sunday
20
September

Celebration of Life

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Sunday, September 20, 2020
St. Petersburg Women's Club
40 Snell Isle Blvd NE
St Petersburg, Florida, United States
Friday
25
September

Visitation

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Friday, September 25, 2020
Anderson-McQueen NESP
2201 Dr MLK Street N
Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States
727-822-3362