Mayme York

Mayme Pauline McBean York, 101, of Coffeyville, died July 29, 2009 at her home. She was born May 28, 1908 in Carthage, Missouri to William Alexander and Odessa Wyman McBean. She attended Monitor Elementary School on West Oak Street in Carthage before her family moved to Quapaw, Oklahoma in 1918. Mayme graduated from Quapaw High School in 1928 and the Miami Business College in 1928. In 1929 her family moved to the present location near West Woodland in Coffeyville. In 1932, Mayme graduated from Coffeyville Junior College and began her teaching career in a one teacher school in the county and served two terms as principal of Dearing Elementary School before joining the Coffeyville Public Schools in 1945, teaching at Whittier and Roosevelt Junior High School. She retired in 1973 with 40 years of service. Mayme had graduated from Pittsburg State College with B.S. and M.S. degrees plus other credits. In 1957 she was elected to the Board of Directors of the Coffeyville Teachers Credit Union and in 1962 became TreasurerManager, serving in that position until 1966. She was President of the District Credit Union Chapter and was a member of the Kansas Credit Union League Board of Directors during the period of statewide redistricting and facility expansion in Wichita. In 1965-66 Mayme served as President of the Coffeyville Teachers Association. Prior to that, she served a four year term on the Insurance commission for Kansas State Teachers Association. She was also a National Education Association Life Member and was a charter member of the N.E.A. life Member Association in Coffeyville. Always interested in youth, Mayme organized the East Brown Juvenile Grange in 1930 and in 1942 organized the Dearing Bees 4-H Club. She was also a sponsor of the Junior Red Cross in Coffeyville. She belonged to some community organizations that no longer exist: the Security Benefit Association, AAUW, BPW, PTA, Royal Neighbors of America. In 1940 she became a member of the Coffeyville Rebekah Lodge No. 258 of the Independent Order of the Oddfellows. She is a Past Noble Grand and Past District Deputy President of the Rebekah Assembly of Kansas. Past Chief Matriarch of the Gate City Ladies Encampment Auxiliary 80 and Past President of the Coffeyville Ladies Auxiliary Patriarchs Militant 14, where she also served 33 years as its secretary. In 1982 she was elected Grand Matriarch of the Grand Ladies Encampment Auxiliary of Kansas and in 1990 was elected President of the Department Association, Ladies Auxiliary Patriarchs Militant, I.O.O.F. of Kansas. Mayme is a Past Worthy Matron of Coffeyville Chapter 112, Order of the Eastern Star, Past Worthy High Priestess of Quo Vadis Shrine 14, of the Order of The White Shrine of Jerusalem; has served several offices as Worthy Scribe for several years. She is a member of the Social Order of the Beauceant Assembly 132, Independence , Kansas and a member of Azrim Temple 81, Daughters of the Nile , Pittsburg, Kansas, Jane Dean Coffey Chapter 6-028, Daughters of the American Revolution. She belonged to the John Mason Chapter of the American Colonists and the Clan McBean of North America. Mayme was a Notary Public for several years and in the 1970s was instrumental in platting the Yorkland Addition on West Woodlawn. She was active in the First Christian Church since 1930 and was a sponsor for the Christian Endeavor for Young People, taught Sunday school classes for women, served on the Board, served as a Deaconess and later served as an Elder. On May 29, 1948 she was married to George Calvin York of Coffeyville. He was employed at Noel Plumbing Company. In 1967, when York Plumbing and Heating opened, Mayme became the office manager. Since her retirement much of her time was devoted to genealogy for her family. Lines have been expanded into several countries and into the period of the Magna Carta and into the lines of royalty. Several other reference genealogy books were completed. Mayme is survived by nephews: Michael Benjamin Cornner and Rev. Robert Wyman Cornner both of the Los Angeles area and numerous other nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to; First Christian Church of Coffeyville or the The Kansas Eye Bank in St. John, Kansas. Funeral services for Mayme Pauline York will be held at 10:00am on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home in Coffeyville. Mayme will lie in state at the Funeral Home on Monday, August 3, 2009 from 8:00am until 5:00pm. Interment will be at Fairview Cemetery in Coffeyville. Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home of Coffeyville is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at: www.PenwellGabelCoffeyville.com