RACINE – Mary I. Bland, 79, passed away at Select Specialty Hospital in Milwaukee on Tuesday, June 12, 2012.
She was born in Cleveland, OH on December 7, 1932, the daughter of the late Charles and Cora Margaret (nee: White) Vaughn. She graduated from John Hay High School. On June 25, 1954 she married Clarence Bland in Cleveland.
Mrs. Bland was a longtime member of Wayman A.M.E. Church. She was also Worthy Matron of the Eastern Star Badger Chapter #5 and Past Comandress of Zembo Court #130 – Daughters of Isis. Mrs. Bland was instrumental in the civil rights movement in Racine including with the assistance and development of the NAACP. She worked for St. Luke’s Hopsital, High Ridge Nursing and retired from Lutheran Social Services. In addition to her involvement in the community, she will be remembered as a talented seamstress and cook who loved to travel. However, her family will mostly remember her as their matriarch that was a doting wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.
She is survived by her husband Clarence; her daughter, Rosemary (Cardis Crenshaw) Bland-Dye all of Racine; her grandchildren, Peter Bland, Bobby Riddick LaToyah Grayson, and Marvin (Edwina) Moore all of Milwaukee; 9 great grandchildren; her sisters and brothers, Sandra Vaughn and Sharon Turner, Leon Vaughn all of Racine and Kevin Vaughn of Ohio; her brothers-in-law and sister-in-law, Curtis Clinton Perry of California, James (Ora) Bland of Racine, Liz Brown and special nephew, LeRoy Walker both of Cleveland. She was also preceded in death by her sisters and brothers, Helen (Carl) Covington, Bernice (LeRoy) Walker, Leonard Brown and Kenny Brown.
There will be a visitation in the funeral home on Wednesday, June 20th from 5-7 p.m. Family and friends are invited to meet at Wayman A.M.E. Church (424 N. Memorial Dr.) on Thursday, June 21, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. for the celebration of her life and Homegoing with Rev. Ernest Garrison officiating. Interment will follow at West Lawn Memorial Park. There will also be a visitation in the church on Thursday from 10-11 a.m. Memorials have been suggested to Wayman A.M.E. Church.
A very special thank you to Mrs. Bland’s dear friends; especially, Callie Adams, Marian Tharpe and Idella Reames.
Gregory & Marilyn Jackson says
Rose & Clearence
You have our deepest condolences.
We Love you
Christine Golden says
To the family of Mrs. Mary Bland The family of Ms. Christine Golden would like to send their most deepest sympathy with the loss of this wondeful and devine queen. We will truly miss her
LaToyah Grayson says
MY GRANDMA The funny beautiful lady That means so much to me May be gone from the land of the living But with me she will always be Because my memory holds her dearly And my pen recalls her ways And most of all I love her A love that always stays It stays inside my memory And is often on my mind Because a lady like my grandma Is rare and hard to find.
Rosemary Bland says
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE FAMIL AND FRIENDS THAT HAVE SHOWN US SO MUCH LOVE AND CARE. AL THINGS ASAID AND DONE WERE GREATLY APPRECIATED. CLARENCE BLAND AND FAMILY
Brenda Allen says
My sincerest condolences to family of Mrs Bland . I know she will be missed, go to Jehovah in prayer for strenght