2021-2024 Guild Secretary – Mary BarrAnger
Mary Barranger has been a Guild member since 2012 and its secretary since 2021. She ended up joining the Guild through long time member, Ann Dumanis. Ann’s daughter, Bonnie, was running for mayor and Mary hosted a meet and greet at her home. Mary’s husband Jerry and Bonnie were old friends and they had met Ann quite a few times. Mary had just gotten back into knitting after a long hiatus and showed Ann a few of her finished projects. Ann invited her to attend the Guild and she hasn’t looked back.
Mary’s crafting journey began when she was around eight years old when her German grandmother taught her continental knitting. In her twenties, she became obsessed with counted cross stitch after visiting Denmark. During that time, quilting absorbed her as well. She took up knitting again about fifteen years ago, but still has occasional forays into quilting.
Mary particularly enjoys making garments. However, she does not make socks, because she feels they are too fussy. She makes a point of wearing something she has knitted every day, even if it is just a poncho she throws over a blouse and slacks. To her, hand knitted garments imbue an extra dimension of love which set them apart from off-the-rack clothing.
Mary may love knitting, but music is her life. She was the pianist for the San Diego Symphony for over forty years. She was also a founding member of the Camarada chamber music ensemble, and collaborated in a Naxos recording with Zina Schiff, concert violinist. She feels it has been a privilege and honor to have made a living doing something she loved.
She met the love of her life, Jerry Blank, through the Reader personal ads in 1992. He advertised, she answered. He was a highly respected criminal defense attorney and a non-commercial pilot. They flew their plane to Alaska, Mexico, all over the States, and to Europe. Their twenty-seven years together were filled with adventure, family, and friends. Sadly, Jerry passed away in 2019 from an atypical Parkinson’s condition. Knitting has helped get her through her grief.
She now has a little dog, Bruno, who is beginning to fill up the hole Jerry left.
