Mendenhall, Mary Caroline

Mary Caroline Mendenhall, 97, of Cedar Rapids, formerly of Whittier, died Saturday, June 22, 2013, at St. Luke's Hospital. Funeral Services: 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 26, at Whittier Friends Meeting House in Whittier. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Center in Marion. Burial: Whittier Friends Cemetery in Whittier.

Survivors include her daughter, Olivia (Anthony) Swope; granddaughter, Gail (Jay) Nelson; great-grandson, Brogan Nelson; two stepgrandchildren, Anthony Swope III and Angie (Jerry) Dyer; six stepgreat-grandchildren, Brian, Zac, Sam, Bradley, Jeremy and Tessa; sister-in-law, Mildred Mendenhall; and 11 nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Mabel (Al) Watson and Elva (Cecil) Rockwell; a brother, Hubert Mendenhall; and a grandson, Carson Hoge.

Mary was born Aug. 19, 1915, at Paullina, Iowa, the daughter of Ruth and Elwood Mendenhall. Her family later moved to Fairhope, Ala., where they farmed. As members of the Society of Friends (Quakers) they were an integral part of the Meeting and community at Fairhope. Mary attended Auburn University and was employed as a social worker. Later she became the teacher at the Friends school. In the 1940s, several of the Quaker families became uncomfortable with their contribution to militarism, through taxes as well as the drafting of their young men. In 1950, several families including Mary and her parents, decided to immigrate to Costa Rica, which had abolished its military and was dedicating larger portions of its national budget toward education and social services. The families settled in the mountains of Costa Rica, forming the Quaker community of Monteverde. Mary was the founding teacher of the school set up by the Monteverde Meeting and contributed to the life of the community, besides caring for her parents. In 1959, she adopted 18 month old Olivia Ann and was a loving and devoted mother. In 1975, Mary moved to Wooster, Ohio, where she worked in a day care center. She moved to Whittier, Iowa, after her retirement, where she helped care for her grandchildren, Gail and Carson.

During the final years of her life, she lived with Olivia and her husband. She continued to play an active role in the Whittier Friends Meeting, Sewing Club and Garden Club.

Mary will always be remembered as a loving and caring mother, grandmother, aunt and friend.

Please sign the online guest book for Mary at under obituaries.

Published in The Gazette June 25, 2013.