Mary Crocker Whaley, 83, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 24, 2012. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.
Mary was born January 7, 1929 in Adamsville, Alabama to the late Columbus Cleveland Crocker and Elsie Harper Crocker.
She married Edward Charles Whaley on February 12, 1949 and they moved to Bay City in 1951. In 1959 they moved to Colombia, South America for ten years. They then traveled to Quito, Ecuador and then to San Tome, Venezuela before returning to Bay City in 1975 where she made her home until moving to Portland, TX. with family in 2010. After the death of her husband in 1978, she began her banking career with the First National Bank of Bay City, as Vice President and Administrative Assistant to the President until retirement in 2000.
Mary was a member of First United Methodist Church in Bay City, where she served for two years on the Pastor/Parish Relationship Committee. She was very active in her community, where she served as a past President of the Bay City Chamber of Commerce, past member of Bay City Pilot Club and Director, and past member of the Education Committee for BCISD new teachers luncheon. She was honored with being the first woman to join the Bay City Rotary Club and became the club's first woman President.
Preceding her in death were her parents Columbus and Elsie Crocker, her husband Edward, brother's Robert Crocker and Elmer Lee Crocker, and two sister's Madeline Cooper, and Margaret Conerly.
She leaves behind her daughter Deborah E Sullivan and son-in-law Edward, grandson Chris and wife Amy, granddaughter Carrie and husband Jeff, and two great-grandsons Parker and Pryce, numerous nieces and nephews, her "lunch bunch" friends and her bridge playing friends.
The family extends special thanks to Elida Morales, her caregiver for the last six months, the staff at the Carriage Inn Retirement Center, her doctors and wonderful nurses for making her final days so peaceful.
The family will receive friends and relatives from 6pm to 8pm Wednesday at the funeral home. Funeral service will be 10:00 AM Thursday, September 27, 2012 at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Jeff Gantz officiating. Interment will follow at Cedarvale Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Robert Allison, Kelsey Granberry, Bill Isaacson, Carlton LaBeff, Doug Matthes and Kent Pollard. The Bay City Rotary Club will serve as honorary pallbearers.
In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the First United Methodist Church of Bay City, or the American Heart Association.