Mary Machin Hemphill was born November 1, 1942 in Wamego, KS to Ruth Elizabeth Burgess and John W. Machin II. She grew up in Manhattan, attending Bluemont Elementary school and graduating from Manhattan High School in 1960. She was baptized and joined First Baptist Church of Manhattan the same year. She married Steve E. Hemphill in 1962 and together they had two daughters. They later divorced.
Mary began her professional career at R.L. Polk and Company, and later worked as an administrative assistant at Kansas State University. After the birth of her children she became a full time homemaker and also typed papers for international students at KSU. She was a gifted seamstress and artist and her creativity added much beauty to her home. Mary also sold her arts and crafts creations at Kansas craft fairs.
She began teaching Sunday School at First Baptist Church in the 1970’s and continued in this role for many years, in addition to serving on church boards and committees and providing children’s sermons during Sunday morning worship. She was the adult leader of Brownie Troop #331 and Junior Girl Scout Troop #234, planning and leading weekly meetings and chaperoning several camping trips. Mary also served as a Region Cookie Captain, distributing all the cookies sold in the area to troop leaders.
Mary started her professional teaching career in the Office Education Program at Manhattan Vo-Tech. She returned to college and while working full-time as the bookkeeper for UFM, completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Art Education in 1987. She then taught for a year in Wichita Public Schools before returning home to teach Elementary Art for USD 383. She went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Education from Kansas State. Mary was named Kansas Master Teacher in 1999. She also had the opportunity to travel to Prague, Czechoslovakia one summer for art instructor professional development.
She retired from full-time teaching in 2008, and continued to substitute teach as well as volunteer activities in the Manhattan community. Mary continued her faithful involvement at FBC Manhattan, serving as an officer in the American Baptist Women group. She was a part of two mission work trips to Appalachia and Mexico in her retirement. Mary was a volunteer docent at the Beach Museum of Art in Manhattan, a member of Alpha Kappa Delta sorority, and taught classes at the Manhattan Arts Center. She enjoyed playing bunco, spending time with her friends and family, and attending musical performances at McCain Auditorium.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, John W. Machin III.
She is survived by two daughters, Amy Hemphill of Indianapolis, Indiana and Marcie Hemphill of Atlanta, Georgia; one granddaughter, Elizabeth Bailey of Columbus, Indiana; a sister, Margi Barber (Bob) of Hurricane, Utah; a sister-in-law, Janice Machin of Riley, KS; longtime companion Bob Ford of Baldwin, KS; her “partners-in-crime” the Unicorn Girls; three nephews, one niece, six great-nephews, two great nieces, one great grandniece, and her Machin and Burgess cousins.
A Celebration of Mary’s Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 29th, at the First Baptist Church, 2121 Blue Hills Rd., Manhattan, KS, with Pastor Chris Geyer officiating. Private family inurnment will be in the Wabaunsee Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 7:30 p .m. Friday, October 28th at the First Baptist Church.
Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of Manhattan or the Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502.