Charles "Bud" R. Wanner

Charles "Bud" Wanner, 83, of Baltimore, passed away on September 3, 2026, in his beloved home in Stoney Creek.

Bud was preceded in death by his parents, Leah and Raymond Wanner. Born in Hamilton, Maryland, he attended St. Dominic School, Loyola High School, and Loyola College. Legend has it that while sledding down Walther Boulevard as a seventh grader, Buddy met his sweetheart, Nancy Williams, who would become his beloved wife of 61 years.

That winter day marked the beginning of a once-in-a-lifetime love story. As newlyweds, Bud and Nancy embraced every adventure, enjoying epic ski trips and unforgettable snorkeling excursions in the Florida Keys with dental school friends. The stories were legendary, but the scars and broken bones served as proof of a life lived fully and fearlessly.

After graduating from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, what else would an avid boater do but to enlist in United States Coast Guard as a Public Health Service Dentist.

His distinguished career took him to Governors Island, New York (twice); Air Station Borinquen, Puerto Rico; Training Center Cape May (twice); and the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Bud retired as one of the highest-ranking Public Health Service dental officers in history. Among his many accomplishments, he worked alongside Surgeon General Koop to establish universal dental precautions during the early years of the AIDS crisis and testified before Congress on the dangers of smokeless tobacco.

Nothing, however, brought him greater pride than his family.

His children, Michelle (Hans), Sherrie, and Derek (Heather), were the joys of his life. He taught each of them to ski at an early age and instilled in them the same adventurous spirit that defined his own life. During the family's years in Puerto Rico, adventures were endless: snorkeling at Shacks Beach, jumping from the catwalks at Crash Boat Beach, and fighting off the barracuda while spearfishing.

One of Bud's favorite stories was of guiding the family boat through a violent storm when a pod of dolphins appeared and led them to safe harbor. It was also in Puerto Rico that Bud discovered another passion: horsemanship and barrel racing. Decked in the red-checkered Western shirt, he proudly led the Lazy R Riders into competition.

Later, when he and Nancy returned to Cape May for a second tour as "winter" empty nesters, Bud transformed their Cape May Point home into a summer haven. He hosted countless crab feasts with Jimmy Buffett playing in the background and had a gift for making everyone feel welcome. He installed a hot tub and built a basement recreation room complete with pool and ping-pong tables, pinball machines, and dartboards.

You knew you had truly "made it" with Bud when the affectionately named "Ayatollah of Rock 'n' Rolla" challenged you to a game of pool or ping-pong, then eased the sting of defeat with a shot of Sambuca in the hot tub.

No matter where life took him, Bud's devotion to Baltimore sports remained constant. Though he grew to love the Ravens, his heart always belonged to the Colts and Johnny Unitas. Family members still laugh about the night at Yankee Stadium when his enthusiastic chant of "The Bird is the Word!" made them decidedly unwelcome in the Bronx.

An athlete himself, Bud dominated the racquetball court and faithfully joined the Dispensary's slow-pitch softball and basketball teams. He never missed an opportunity to coach his children's teams.

His transition to Superfan came when he began attending his grandchildren’s sporting events, cheer competitions, dance recitals, surf meets, or lifeguard competitions, Bud could always be found cheering from the sidelines, bleachers, or beach. His trademark whistle and rousing rendition of the "Charge!" cheer made him everyone's favorite fan.

His grandchildren were his greatest source of pride and joy: Cameron, Charlie, and Gretchen (Michelle and Hans); Kelsie, Kyle, and Kenlie (Sherrie); and Elise, Olivia, Laila, and Clayton (Derek and Heather). He celebrated each of their accomplishments as though they were his own and never missed an opportunity to brag about them.

After retiring from the Coast Guard and the U.S. Public Health Service, Bud and Nancy returned to Maryland and built what became known as the "Wanner Compound," a summer paradise for their grandchildren. It was the setting for countless crab feasts, boat trips to Orioles games, patriotic sing-alongs beneath the Fort McHenry marker, and tubing adventures that were not for the faint of heart. Summers at Grandmom and Grandpop's were unforgettable.

Whether you knew him as Bud, Buddy, Dad, Grandpop, Captain, or Dr. Wanner, he was a man who made every room brighter just by entering it. He had a remarkable ability to make people feel valued, welcomed, and included. His work ethic, ingenuity, and legendary ability to fix nearly anything were unmatched. If a repair seemed impossible, Bud and a roll of duct tape would prove otherwise.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Nancy; his children, Michelle (Hans), Sherrie, and Derek (Heather); his grandchildren, Cameron, Charlie, Gretchen, Kelsie, Kyle, Kenlie, Elise, Olivia, Laila, and Clayton; his brother, Ray (Linda); brothers-in-law John (Beth) and Mike (Diane); sister-in-law Pat; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, relatives, and friends.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit at the family owned and operated MCCULLY POLYNIAK & COLLINS FUNERAL HOME, P.A. 3204 Mountain Road PASADENA on Sunday, September 6, 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Where funeral services will be held on Monday, September 7, 2026, at 12:00 pm. Cremation services to follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Breakthrough T1D https://www2.breakthrought1d.org/site/TR?fr_id=10704&pg=team&team_id=376462

Or The Michael J. Fox Parkinson Foundation

https://give.michaeljfox.org/campaign/754703/donate?c_src=smcidoc-a1bVL0000078fun&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Bing_Search_US_Fundraising_DonationKeywords_Apr2022&utm_term=mjffdonate&&msclkid=803d17be0fa81c7214537d24d1657c9a&gclid=803d17be0fa81c7214537d24d1657c9a&gclsrc=3p.ds