Mary Wheaton Kroger

Mary Wheaton Kroger left this earth peacefully on June 14, 2026, at the age of 96 in the company of her family. She was born in Mansfield, Ohio on May 20, 1930, at the dawn of the Great Depression as the third of four children (Richard, Barbara, and Connie) to Earnest and Marjorie Wheaton. The family moved to Indianapolis in 1934 where she attended Public School 84 and Shortridge High School.

Following high school graduation in 1948, Mary attended Hanover College where she met a 26-year-old WWII veteran, C. Lloyd Kroger, attending Hanover on the GI Bill. She left school early to wed Lloyd on June 17, 1951, and committed the next several years to raising five children (David, Kathy (Jenkins), Don, Joyce, and Betsy) in Carmel. After Lloyd’s retirement in 1988 until his death in 2004, they enjoyed travel and hosting family and friends at their condominium on Sanibel Island. In addition to her primary role as a homemaker, Mary worked part-time at Lorene’s Casuals clothing store and made deliveries for Meals on Wheels into her late 80’s. Mary and Lloyd were faithful charter members of Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Carmel from its founding in 1955 until their deaths. She was the proud grandparent of 12 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. As she frequently stated in her later years, of all her blessings, she was most thankful that her five children loved and respected each other and enjoyed each other’s company.

At age 14 she forged a lifelong friendship with classmate Pat DeReemer which culminated in the exchange of the same birthday card for 82 years, an accomplishment that was recognized as a Guiness World Record and featured in numerous publications such as the Washington Post.

Mary’s family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the staff of the Barrington of Carmel for the kindness and exceptional care which they provided to her as she approached the end of her life.