Mary Ann Walwer

On Monday, May 19, 2020, Mary Ann Walwer, loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, literary enthusiast, patron of the arts, and extensive traveler, passed away at the age of 84. Mary Ann was born in Huntington, West Virginia to Paul Clinton and Mary Martha Pancake. Mary Ann was the eldest child of seven, with six younger brothers. Her father, Paul Clinton Pancake, founder of Pancake Realty Company, earned one of West Virginia’s first real estate licenses. Mary Ann is survived by her son, Gregory (Dorothy), of Guilford, CT, her three grandchildren, Jasmine Cacace (Peter) of Columbia, MD, James of Guilford, and Matthew of Guilford, her great-grandchild, Theodore Cacace, and her three brothers, Stephen (Deborah) of Bradenton, FL, David (Jane) of Huntington, WV, and James Timothy (Jan) of Melbourne, FL, and many nieces, nephews, and their families. She is predeceased by her beloved husband, Frank Kurt Walwer of New York City, stepmother, Myrtle of Bradenton, and brothers Paul (Kay) of Huntington, WV, Daniel (Rae) of La Grange, IL, and John (Karen) of Huntington, NY. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Ohio University, Mary Ann moved to New York City and became a tour guide at the United Nations. Mary Ann’s passion for reading was apparent in her love of volunteering as a reading instructor, as a volunteer of creating books on tape for the American Foundation for the Blind, and as an avid collector of books from around the world. Mary Ann and Frank Walwer were married in 1961, sharing a passion for family, travel, reading the New York Times, and always adding to their extensive personal library. Mary Ann loved her large family, visiting them often in West Virginia and France, and spending several summers in Chautauqua, New York. Their travels took them throughout the United States and to Africa, Europe, Russia, and China. Mary Ann and Frank were immersed in academia while Frank was the Associate Dean of Columbia Law School, later the Dean of The University of Tulsa College of Law, and then the Dean of Texas Wesleyan School of Law. Their move from New York to Tulsa in 1980 sparked a love for the Southwest and its artwork in both Mary Ann and Frank. Mary Ann was a docent at Philbrook Museum in Tulsa, and was a patron of the Tulsa Opera. Mary Ann and Frank retired to Bradenton and Anna Maria, Florida where they loved their views of the Manatee River and Gulf of Mexico, and were always surrounded by their books. Donations can be made to the library of your choice or the American Foundation for the Blind. Condolences may be given at www.GriffithCline.com.