Mary Nicewander Yingling, 76, was born in Bedford, Indiana, on November 22, 1944, to Dorothy Shirley Nicewander and Bethel Walter Nicewander. Mary earned a BS in Art Education from Purdue University, an MA in Art Education from Ohio State University, and a PhD in Art History from Purdue University.

As Mary was moving into her apartment at Ohio State in September 1966, she met the love of her life, Richard Terry Yingling, who was pursuing an MS in Chemistry at OSU. Not only did he help carry her furniture into her new home, but the handsome gentleman also asked her out to dinner. They were inseparable after that first date, and after getting married their son Christopher Adrian was born in December 1967. After both graduated from OSU, the family moved to Lafayette, Indiana, to pursue PhDs at Purdue University.

While Mary worked toward a PhD in Art History and Richard earned a PhD in Chemistry, their daughter Jessica Abigail was born in 1973. Raising their two children in a renovated Tudor Revival home in downtown Lafayette, Mary taught art history and Richard taught chemistry at Purdue University.

After teaching at Purdue University and Central Catholic High School, Mary worked in art education and fundraising at the Indiana Arts Commission, Very Special Arts Indiana (now ArtMix), McCallie School, University of Tennessee Chattanooga, UCLA, The Nature Conservancy, and The Indianapolis Museum of Art. Richard learned computer programming and worked for Hewlett Packard, General Electric and Blue Cross/Blue Shield before launching his own successful coding company, Infometrics.

Due to her fun-loving nature, Mary became a “second mom” to many of the kids in the Meridian-Kessler and Butler-Tarkington neighborhoods. She was admired for her sharp wit, infectious laughter, and unfaltering compassion and love for everyone she encountered.

Her first love was painting, and she spent her retirement years creating beautiful works of art for friends, family and local nonprofits. Her most beloved role was helping to raise her grandson, Erik Yingling, who is now a sophomore at Indiana University.

Mary is survived by her son Christopher Adrian of Indianapolis; her daughter Jessica Abigail of Santa Monica, CA; her step-daughter Adrienne (Vanya) Mullinax of Sanford, NC; her brother Alan (Patricia) Nicewander of Monterey, CA; her brother Kurt (Susan) Nicewander of Port Hueneme, CA; her grandson Erik Yingling of Indianapolis; her step-grandson Evan Aldridge of Sanford, NC; and her step-granddaughter Leah Aldridge of Sanford, NC.

Preceding Mary in death were Richard Yingling, and her parents Walter and Dorothy Nicewander.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to The Nature Conservancy in Mary’s memory.

Due to concerns about the Covid virus, her memorial service will be postponed until a later date.