Mary Alice Claycombe Adney correspondence

Mary Alice Claycombe was born to Lloyd Denzil and Lillian Jeannette (Wuille) Claycombe in Indianapolis, Indiana, on June 28, 1921. She grew up in Indianapolis and attended School #70 and Shortridge High School, from which she graduated. She then attended DePauw University, from which she graduated in 1942.

During her time at DePauw, Mary Alice was a member of Alpha Phi sorority, a member of the association for women in communications, Theta Sigma Phi, and at separate times, served as both vice president and president of the Home Economics Club. She earned a degree in home economics, which aligned well with her campus involvement.

At the age of twenty-one, Mary Alice married Frank B. Adney Jr. They married in Indianapolis in 1943, a year after both graduated from DePauw. They had one son, James, and one daughter, Carol.

Mrs. Adney worked as a dietician after graduation at Methodist Hospital as her husband worked to earn his master’s degree. His work then sent Frank and Mary to Germany for what was supposed to be two days, but ended up being a thirteen-day trip that they took along with their six-month-old son, only having baby supplies for the planned two days.

In 1951, Mary and her husband moved to Richmond, Virginia, where Frank started his own practice, and the two raised their children and lived out the remainder of their lives. Mrs. Adney enjoyed many hobbies and was involved in the Richmond community. She volunteered and served on the school board, including as president for one year. Along with this involvement, Mary Alice was a part of Wayne County Family Services, the League of Women Voters, the Wayne-Union County Medical Auxiliary, and the Women’s Rose City Investment Club.

After her husband retired, Mr. and Mrs. Adney traveled and spent time tracing their genealogy, about which Mary Alice wrote three books. She and her husband then moved to Friends Fellowship Community in 2009.

Mrs. Adney died peacefully on November 24, 2018, at age ninety-seven at Friends Fellowship Community.

Sources:

Doan and Mills Funeral Home, Mary Alice Claycombe Adney Obituary, Accessed 6 November 2024.

The Mirage DePauw University Yearbook 1941, DePauw University Archives and Special Collections

DePauw University Commencement Program 1942, DePauw University Archives and Special Collections

This biographical note was created by Meredith Buti and Margaret Walsh as part of the HIST278: Women's History from 1890-Present course during the fall 2024 semester. It was revised by Professor Sarah Rowley and the Coordinator of Archives and Special Collections Bethany Fiechter.