Merry Vanis Bird, 86, of St. Petersburg, FL died August 29, 2023 in Palm Harbor, FL following a long illness. On December 16, 1936, she was born in Youngstown, OH, the daughter of the late Lydia Wilson Vanis and Robert Vanis. On August 20, 1973, she married Lance G. Bird at the Church of the Nazarene Leicester, VT. Together they shared 50 years and 9 days of marriage.
Devoted to her faith, Merry was a member of the New Life Church in Venice, FL; she was also Messianic and taught the Hebrew roots and heritage of the Christian faith. When she wasn’t in the church, Merry spent time managing an apartment complex and nutrition business, and held a secretarial position for a sandwich shop. Her personal interests were of a vast variety- she found great enjoyment and solace spending time with family, teaching, singing, nutrition, her Mustang Convertible, politics, Bible research, cooking, and bio chemistry … just to name a few!
Merry is survived by her husband, Lance G. Bird; children: Michelle Matko of St. Petersburg Brach, FL, Vicki Poisson of Lakeland, FL, and Rick Bird of Millville, NJ; sixteen grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; siblings: Joyce Rogers of Brandon, FL and Al Vanis of Manalapan, NJ.
