Mary Elizabeth (Shircliff) Glover Bastin

Mary Elizabeth Glover Bastin

January 6, 1927 – January 8, 2021

On January 8th, following the celebration of her 94th birthday two days prior, Mary Glover Bastin passed peacefully into the Lord’s hands while surrounded by her family.  The eldest child of Thomas Maxwell Shircliff and Martha Bayard Somes, Mary was born in Vincennes, Indiana, on January 6, 1927. She graduated from the Ladywood School in Indianapolis, attended the Sorbonne in Paris as one of the first students immediately after World War II, and graduated from Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York.  Mary had the rare ability to grace every room she entered; she seldom expressed an unkind word and made each person she met feel as if they were the only person in the room. Though schooled in the social graces of that era, she was a woman ahead of her time and strived to experience the world.

Following her college graduation, Mary accepted an executive position with Macy’s and moved to Greenwich Village in New York, taking full advantage of all the city offered. Mary loved everything about  New York City and got a real kick out of knowing that two of her grandchildren followed in her footsteps and lived in the “Village” just like “Nana”. Mary enjoyed business and believed she needed to earn  an MBA in order to achieve her career goals as a woman in that era.  She applied to and was accepted into the business program at St. Louis University. Before starting school, she decided to spend the summer with her family in her hometown of Vincennes and met William (“Bill”) Ebner Glover, who had also just returned home to Vincennes to run his family-owned business. They fell in love and were married in June 1953 in the Old Cathedral in Vincennes. The wedding reception was held at Belle Vieu, the Shircliff family home. They enjoyed thirty-three happy years together until Bill passed in 1986.

In 1959, the Glovers moved to South Florida, where Bill pursued real estate investment interests. The family of seven lived in Palmetto Park Terrace, one of the communities Bill developed.  In 1968, the family moved to their home in Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club where they raised their five children and Mary lived for the rest of her life.  She loved her beautiful home and made it the warm and happy gathering place for family and friends for many decades until her passing. She and members of her family grew accustomed to ‘cocktails at five’ which typically consisted of a glass of wine or a Manhattan, music in the background, and the opportunity to talk about everything she had learned that day in the many papers she would read and the TV news programs she might have watched. To the end, Mary was a remarkably well-informed lady.

Mary and Bill believed in community and were involved in many initiatives that helped to make Boca Raton the city that it is today. Nominated for Boca Raton’s Woman of the Year, Mary’s civic involvement was extensive and she held leadership and trustee positions at many of them.  Some of the organizations include St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church & School, St. Andrews School, Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, Boca Raton Historical Society, The Antique Club, The Garden Club, The Order of Malta, and the Daughters of the American Revolution.  The Glovers were among the early supporters of Lynn University and the Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Mary was a member of the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club for more than fifty years. She loved to entertain and led an active social life with their many friends and family. 

Following Bill’s passing in 1986, Mary refocused her attention on family and helped guide her aging parents through the last chapter of their lives. She also took the time to visit her adult children who were living across the country and the globe.  She traveled extensively, exploring the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa. She was in great health, free to travel, and able to take full advantage of every opportunity that came her way.  Mary’s most memorable trip was to South Africa with her daughter Martha and family, where they toured Cape Town, the wine country, and game reserves.

Mary often said how fortunate she was to have had such a good marriage to Bill.  She never expected that it could happen again until, at the urging of her children, Mary returned to Vincennes for her 50th high school reunion. There, she encountered her high school sweetheart, Dr. Armand Joseph (“Joe”) Bastin, who had also raised a large family in Kentucky and whose wife had recently passed.  In an unexpected and wonderful turn of events, Mary and Joe fell in love and married in a small ceremony in 1997. Their lives fit beautifully together, and she embraced Joe’s family as her own. They divided their time between Joe’s home on Lake Barclay in Kentucky and Mary’s home in Boca Raton. They had a very happy thirteen years together until Joe passed in 2010.

Mary is survived by her five children, Martha Perry (Dennis) of Ocean Ridge, Gregory Glover (Lori) of Boca Raton, Thomas Glover (Karen) of Palm Beach, John Glover (Louise) of Delray Beach and David Glover (Stephanie) of Hoboken, NJ. She is also survived by her six grandchildren: Tyler Perry, Ross Perry, Katherine Perry, Thomas Glover, Gigi Glover, and Slane Glover.

Mary leaves behind a legacy of community involvement and service, graciousness, kindness, elegance, and serenity. She was a wonderful wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, aunt, and friend. She was guided by her faith throughout her life and she set the standard for a loving and supportive family.  Our loss is heaven's gain. We are certain the gates were flung open to greet her.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to any of the following organizations:

The William and Mary Glover Scholarship Fund at St. Andrews School, Boca Raton, FL

American Heart Association

Palm Beach County Food Bank

A viewing will be held at the Glick Family Funeral Home in Boca Raton at 3600 N. Federal Highway on Sunday, January 17, 2021 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm.  The funeral service will be private.

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