Mary Frances Kindell

Mary Frances (McChesney) Kindell, 103, of Monroe, died Saturday, April 7, 2018, at Ohio Living Mt. Pleasant. She was born in Trinidad, Colorado on August 27, 1914 to parents Hardin Field and Eugenia (McCulloch) McChesney.

Mary graduated from Western Kentucky State Teachers College (now Western Kentucky University) in 1934 with a Bachelor’s degree. In 1947, she met & married her husband of 56 years, Carl B. Kindell, subsequent to their marriage she worked in Kindell’s Drug Store in Celina. They moved to Butler County and Mary taught at Monroe High School, sponsoring The Monroe Doctrine paper. Continuing at Middletown High School, she became the advisor to The Middletonian for 17 years. During that time, the paper won first place in the School Press Association 12 times and was named "All American" 6 times. Her most famous student is Clarence Page, columnist and editorial writer for the Chicago Tribune. He acknowledged her inspiration in his 1996 book Showing My Color. She retired from teaching in 1980. An active member of First Presbyterian Church of Middletown, she sang in the choir for a record 58 years, and served as deacon and elder. She was a vital part of Presbyterian Women in the Presbytery of Miami Valley and the Synod of the Covenant for many years, finally becoming Moderator of that group. Active in the Peacemaking Committee of the church, she traveled to the Soviet Union 3 times beginning in 1988 as a delegate to the Ecumenical Millennium Celebration in the U.S.S.R. She participated in the formation of a Sister Church with Our Lady of Fyodorovskaya in St. Petersburg. In 1989 she organized the First Presbyterian "Giving Tree" the first program in Middletown to provide school supplies and backpacks for children. With a love of learning, she was a member of the Guided Study Club, the Critique Literary Club, and the Women's Teachers Club. As chair of the Ecumenical Celebration, she planned and led the World Day of Prayer, World Friendship Day and World Community Day program. Carl died in 2003. In 2006, she was honored by the Middletown Church Women United with the National Valiant Woman Award.

Mrs. Kindell is survived by her daughter, Mary Ellen (Lee) St. John; grandsons, James and David St. John; brother, Hardin Field McChesney Jr.; and foster daughter, Sue Ellen (Wooten) Mako; half-brother, David McChesney; half-sisters, Susan (McChesney) Jensen and Maria (McChesney) Flynn. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Carl B. Kindell; sisters, Marianne Faris, Gene Birkhead and Elizabeth Stark.

Memorial service will be held Friday, April 13, 2018 at 10:00 am at First Presbyterian Church, 2910 Central Ave., Middletown with Reverend Michael Isaacs officiating. Visitation will be Thursday from 5:00 - 7:00 pm at Wilson-Schramm-Spaulding Funeral Home, 3805 Roosevelt Blvd., Middletown, OH. Interment will be at North Grove Cemetery in Celina.

Memorial donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 2910 Central Ave., Middletown, OH 45044.