Mary Tumminia

Mary Petralia was born on February 19, 1915 in St. Louis to Catherine Fici Petralia and Antonio Petralia who immigrated to St. Louis from Salemi, Sicily in 1913. The Petralias raised their children Lucille, Tony, Jeannie, Mary, Rose and Louis “Gene” Petralia on Warren Street in downtown St. Louis. Later in life, Mary often reminisced about her parents and her wonderful childhood.

When Mary was 25 and working as a silk spotter at the Best Way Cleaners plant on Marcus Avenue, she met Ernest Joseph Tumminia who proposed to her within weeks. They married in a double wedding with Ernie’s brother Edward “Ed” Tumminia and his wife Norma in 1942. The couples then built adjacent identical houses where they raised their families on Kingwood Drive in St. Louis. Ernie and Ed, co-owners of Best Way Cleaners, eventually owned 18 Best Way stores. Mary stayed home to raise their children: Carla Tumminia Borgard (Michael A. Borgard, Sr.), Ernest J. Tumminia, Jr. of Leawood, Kansas (Susan Tholen Tumminia) and Katherine Tumminia Tholen of Atlanta, Georgia (John David Tholen).

Mary and Ernie were happily married for 47 years, sharing a love for their children and grandchildren, playing cards, dancing, listening to KMOX, and bickering in their native Italian. Although Mary never did like to drive, her son Ernie (who later became a car dealer in Kansas City) insisted that they buy a white 409 Chevy (with a red racing stripe) in 1960, which Mary reluctantly drove to run her errands despite her petite stature. Mary stopped driving altogether in the 1970s, after which her devoted husband Ernie (who referred to Mary as “babe”) chauffeured her until his death in 1989.

Mary read her St. Louis Post-Dispatch every day, cheered on her St. Louis Cardinals every game, and loyally watched her Days of Our Lives. (On most afternoons, Days of Our Lives on KSDK fulfilled Mary’s love for “a good drama.”) Despite her traditional upbringing, Mary was a progressive woman who voted for Walter Mondale in 1984 in the hopes that Geraldine Ferraro, her fellow Italian American, would become the first female Vice President.

No tribute to Mary can be complete without describing what a talented cook she was: Mary’s lasagna, meatballs, stuffed artichokes, eggplant, chicken soup, giugiuleni, apple pie, toast with jam, and -- most of all -- her spiedini, will be missed by her family and anyone who ever had the fortune of sitting at her table. Everything Mary made just tasted better because she showed her love through cooking.

Mary leaves seven grandchildren who will forever cherish their selfless, loving and devoted Mau Mau: Michael A. Borgard, Jr. of St. Louis, Brett J. Borgard of Vail, CO, Carlyn Borgard McClintock (Scott McClintock) of St. Louis; Ernest Todd Tumminia (Sara Carter) of Leawood, KS, Courtney Tumminia Sprague (Robert Sprague) of Leawood, KS; Tricia Tholen Gephardt (Matthew Gephardt) of Atlanta, GA, and Laura W. Tholen of Raleigh, NC. Mary was also beloved by her thirteen great-grandchildren: Anna and Margaret Borgard (St. Louis); Hayes and Hattie McClintock (St. Louis); Carter, Louis, and Sophia Tumminia (Leawood, KS); Robert "Bo”, Andrew, Winifred and Jack Sprague (Leawood, KS); and Truman and Ernest Gephardt (Atlanta). Mary leaves many nieces and nephews who loved her dearly as their Aunt Mary. Mary is survived by her sister, Rose Petralia Cinciripini.

Above all else, Mary never complained and was filled with patience, selflessness and grace. Her generous spirit will be remembered by all who knew her. Mary’s family would like to thank all the Caregivers at Cedars of Town & Country and Hallmark for their loving and patient care.

Visitation will be Tuesday, September 10, 9-11am at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, 5130 Wilson Avenue, St. Louis 63109, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11am. Interment Resurrection Cemetery immediately following. Donations may be made to the scholarship fund for the children of St. Ambrose School.