Sept. 22, 1929—Dec. 5, 2009

Mary Ann Wander was born with such a potentially devastating set of physical disabilities that the doctor told her mother not to bother bringing her home.

Her mother wouldn’t give up on her, and she never gave up on herself, either.

Her legs never fully developed, but she taught herself to walk on two artificial legs and to drive. She went to school, she worked as a secretary—and she refused to complain.

“She was such a wonderful example to everybody. You never used the word ‘can’t’ in front of her,” said one of her daughters, Sharon. “You never told her she couldn’t do something. I call it ‘stick-to-itiveness.’ ”

The former Mary Ann Baumler died Saturday in her Newfane home. She was 80.

The Buffalo native was born without hip sockets, without bones in one leg and with a right arm that was shorter than her left arm and didn’t have fingers, Sharon Wander said.

Her family doesn’t know what caused Mrs. Wander’s birth defects.

The doctor who delivered her said she likely would be confined to bed for the rest of her life, but her mother wouldn’t accept this.

Mrs. Wander attended local schools and, as a teen, became the first person in the world to be fitted with two artificial legs, according to her family.

Their developer said Mrs. Wander might be able to wear the legs but she wouldn’t be able to walk under her own power.

“She said, ‘You make ’em, I’ll walk,’ ” said her husband, Marvin “Murphy” Wander, and that’s what she did.

Mrs. Wander in 1949 was named Erie County’s first Easter Seals Queen, serving as a local ambassador for the organization that helps people living with disabilities.

She sang “Over the Rainbow” at the event held to honor her selection.

Mrs. Wander was employed as a secretary for Goodwill Industries and also worked in local radio, writing some advertising jingles, her daughter said.

Mrs. Wander also was the first person in this area to use a locally invented mechanism that allows the user to drive a car by using hand controls to operate the gas and brake pedals.

“She taught my sister and I how to drive. My dad didn’t have the patience,” Sharon Wander said.

Mrs. Wander was a member of The Chapel in Amherst and later Grace Bible Church in Newfane, after she moved there from Clarence in 1991.

She enjoyed knitting, bird-watching and completing word and jigsaw puzzles.

In addition to her husband and daughter, survivors include another daughter, Susan Hummer.

A service will be at 10:30 a. m. Wednesday in Grace Bible Church, 6023 Dutton Place, Newfane.

—Stephen Watson