Mary Anne DeHarde

Mary Anne DeHarde, a vibrant and loving lady, who throughout her life actively carried out her concerns for her family, friends, and community, died on Holy Thursday, March 28, 2024 in Palm Harbor, Florida at the age of 86.

She was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Edward and Virginia Haas, and sister of Barbara Haas Lorei. Her respect and admiration for her loving and gifted parents gave all of her six children, thirteen grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren a wonderful legacy and example.

Mary Anne met her husband Mark at the age of 14. They wed in 1956. Their 67 years of marriage took them on many adventures in many places where friends and community bonds were made: in Erie, Towanda, Williamsport, Camp Hill, and Laporte, Pennsylvania, and Palm Harbor and Deer Island, Florida.

Mary Anne used her many talents as a scholar, artist, and musician to give to others. Her dedication to the public good included roles as a patron of the arts, friend of the library, child literacy advocate, senior center volunteer, and director of various community charity fundraising events. Her dedication to her husband included support in his role as a professional engineer, providing architectural renderings for numerous projects. Mary Anne passed on her love of reading to all of her family, as well as her love of nature, music, culinary arts, and most importantly learning.

Mary Anne was known as a great beauty. Her physical beauty was surpassed by a radiant inner strength. Her advocacy for family, friends, and community was facilitated by her tenacity, competitiveness, resolute nature, and her strong Catholic Christian faith.

Included in Mary Anne’s nature was an elegance, a love for parties, games, golf, reading, and painting. Her golf accomplishments included three holes-in-one. Mary Anne created a vast array of art, including oils, watercolors, and sketches. The hundreds of works she completed—commissioned works, portraits and paintings done for family—are all a reflection of her values, character, and love. Her art also demonstrates how fully invested and engaged Mary Anne was in life. Mary Anne won many accolades and praise for her artwork in the communities of Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Williamsport, and the DC Beltway.

Mary Anne is survived by her loving spouse, Mark Joseph DeHarde and their children and spouses, Caroline (Frederick) Bennett, Natalie (Edward) Brasher, Lisa (Thomas) Perry, Mark Dana DeHarde, Stephen DeHarde, Virginia (Brian) Stoudt; her grandchildren and their spouses Adam (Vicki) Bennett, Joseph (Carole) Bennett, Michelle (John) Torres, Alexandria (Benjamin) Souders, Sean (Shannon) DeHarde, Rosemarie Perry (David Putrino), Edward (Marifi) Berry, Arabella (Daniel) Haas Benami, Thomas (Gretchen) Perry, Andrea Matovich, Mark James DeHarde, Ava DeHarde, and Christian DeHarde; her great-grandchildren Maryam, Landon, Daniel, Christian, Henry, Avery, Lawrence, Stavros, Michael, Nora, Theodore, Isabella, Christopher, Felix, and Thomas; and her sister Barbara Lorei.

Every night in her prayers, Mary Anne counted all of her “chicks.” Her love for her family continues to bear fruit in all of her progenies.

“Acclaim her for the work of her hands, and let her deeds praise her at the city gates.” Proverbs 31:31

The Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Espiritu Santos Catholic Church, Safety Harbor, Florida at 10:00 AM, followed by interment at Sylvan Abbey Cemetery at 11:30 AM.

Memorial donations may be made to any of Mary Anne’s favorite charities: Catholic Charities Literacy Programs, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Disabled American Veterans, and community charities benefiting the elderly.