Mary Jeane McGuire

She was born in Kansas City, Kansas, Nov. 2, 1940, the daughter of Frederick William and Bernice Jean (Book) Starkey. She married Richard L. McGuire, and he preceded her in death on April 20, 1999. She was also preceded in death by her parents, and her brother.

Mary Jeane earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Mathematics from Kansas State University. She worked for John Deere Life Insurance Company in Jacksonville and retired after 17 years of service.

She was an active member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ, the Public Library’s Book Club, and a long-time member of one of Jacksonville’s several gourmet groups that brought together faculty from both of the colleges in town.

She was an incredibly kind and compassionate person who worked for social justice through her involvement through the local chapters of the League of Women Voters and the NAACP, as well as her church.

Mary Jeane married William “Bill” Underwood and he survives. Also surviving are her two sons, Kevin (wife Catherine Weidner) McGuire of Brooktondale, NY, and David (wife Stephanie Gaskins) McGuire of Petersburg, IN. She has two grandchildren, Evan and Eleanor McGuire.

A memorial service was held at Jacksonville Congregational United Church of Christ. Ashes will be interred at a later date in Cottonwood Falls, KS.