Obituary of Mary Grace Wantland

Mary Grace( Barger) Wantland

10/21/1918- 3/25/2024

Mary was born in Gary, IN and the oldest daughter of 5 children born to Genevive Charvat and Ernest A Barger.

She was a child of the depression years and a young adult during WWII. Mary met her husband, Henry Baine Wantland while working for US Steel where he was a metallurgical engineer. Henry (Bill) was a graduate of Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.

Mary and Bill had 3 daughters, Mary Jo, Ginger, and Jackie. They emigrated to Pinellas County Florida in the early 1950’s along with other family members, including Mary’s father, her oldest brother, Ernest and her younger brother, John.

Mary raised her family in St Petersburg and was her brother John’s right hand “man” helping manage the Edgewater Beach Motel. She was a founding member of St Raphael’s Parish on Snell Isle and worked as a volunteer librarian at North Shore Elementary School in her retirement. Mary was a member of the St Raphael Council of Catholic Women, Stuart Society of the Museum of Fine Arts and Women in Philanthropy for St Anthony’s Hospital. A staunch patriot, she was a poll worker always dressed in red/white/and blue into her mid-eighties.

She is survived by her 2 daughters, Mary Jo and Ginger, 4 grandchildren, Jacqueline, Deborah, Danny, Sandra and 3 great grandchildren, Sebastian, Julian and Lilian.

Funeral Mass on 4/8/24, St Raphael's Catholic Church, Snell Isle with burial following at Memorial Park, St Petersburg, FL