Obituary: Mary Jane “M.J.” Boyle Mingus

Mary Jane “M.J.” Boyle Mingus, 81, of Baldwin City passed away Thursday, August 3, 2017 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Lawrence, Kansas. M.J. was born October 8, 1935 in Youngstown, Ohio, the daughter of Edward Bernard Boyle and Mary Stewart Jennings (Woodard) Boyle. She grew up in Warren, Ohio as well as Sanford, FL where she graduated from Seminole High School.

Mary Jane “M.J.” Boyle Mingus

She attended Brenau University in Gainesville, GA for her undergraduate degree and then worked at the Dallas Theatre Center where she earned her Master’s degree from Baylor University, later she earned her  Ph.D. in Theatre from Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, OH. That education and passion would lead to her career as a Theatre professor and costumer at Tarleton State University for over 30 years, retiring in 1997.   In 2008, M.J. moved to Baldwin City, KS to be closer to family and shared that experience and love for theatre with the Baldwin City Community Theatre, impacting the lives of many, young and old alike.
Mary Jane was named Professor Emeritus at Tarleton State University. She was a lifetime member of Alpha Gamma Delta and was the chapter’s founder at Tarleton State University. She was a member of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology; the Texas Educational Theatre Association, Inc., and the Purple Poo.  She was also a member of the Lumberyard Arts Center in Baldwin City, KS.
Mary Jane was united in marriage to George Edward Mingus in July of 1967 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Warren, Ohio. They shared over 44 years of marriage until his passing on May 10, 2011.
She is also preceded in death by her mother and father, and a daughter, Amanda Michael Mingus.
Survivors include her daughter, Samantha Cheek and husband, Doug, of Baldwin City, KS; two grandchildren, Drew Cheek of Lawrence, KS and Sydney Cheek of Baldwin City, KS; a sister, Dr. Kathleen Boyle Bond of Parkville, Missouri; four nieces; and two nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday August 12, 2017 at Baldwin First United Methodist Church, 704 8th St, Baldwin City, KS.  A Celebration of Life service will follow at the Lumberyard Arts Center, 718 High St., Baldwin City, KS. A second Celebration of Life service will be held at a later date at Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX.  Memorial contributions may be made to either the Lumberyard Arts Center, Baldwin City, KS or the Mary Jane Mingus Scholarship Fund at Tarleton State University and sent c/o Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home, P.O. Box 64, Baldwin City, KS 66006. Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.