Mary Ellen Anthrop

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Mary Ellen Anthrop on Saturday, November 9th at the age of 74. The only daughter to Gerry and Rose Anthrop, Mary, known as Tootsie by her family and close friends, was raised with her two brothers Joseph and John (Jana) on the family farm. Asked about her family, she remembered her mother saying, “Joe was such a pretty baby, John was such an easy-going baby, and Tootsie was interesting.” Tootsie always kept life interesting. Whether it was taking her nephews Jade, Dru, Danny, and Jackson to the Feast of the Hunters Moon, hosting hilarious family Christmas parties or carrying on family traditions, Tootsie always marched to her own drum.

Graduating from Central Catholic High School in the spring of 1968, Mary went to study History at Purdue University earning a BS in History Education. There she was voted “Most Outstanding Senior Woman.” Later she earned a Master’s degree in History in 1975. In 1976, she returned to Central Catholic to begin her 40-year long career as an educator and National History Day mentor. When asked why she stayed at the school so long she said “Central Catholic was my home. There I found a home of faith and family.”

Passionate about teaching, she shared her enthusiasm of the past with her students. She was always learning and pushing herself to know more. Her lessons often focused on the local history of minorities, women and common folk. According to Mary, “If you don’t record a people’s history, it’s as if they did not exist. That is morally wrong. You are ignoring their existence and letting them pass unremembered.” 

Ask any of her former students about her classes, and they will tell you about the junior year cemetery project, Heritage Day activities, gluing together paper models of historical buildings, working with primary sources, coloring maps and watching history come alive through film. From 1987 until 2016 Mary helped over 30 student projects qualify for the National History Day Competition, in Washington, D.C. 

Her work did not go unnoticed. Locally, she received the DAR Outstanding Indiana History Teacher in 1986 and the “Salute to Women” in Education Award in 1987. She was a recipient of 3 National History Day awards from the National Archives – Outstanding Use of Primary Source in the Classroom, Richard M. Farrell Teacher of Merit Award 2000, and Indiana Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year in 2012. 

Outside of school Mary worked and volunteered for the Tippecanoe County Historical Association in a number of activities from candle dipping and religious history at the Feast, to organizing cemetery walk programs, and submitting blog articles on a wide range of topics on their webpage. She also created a number of exhibits and programs for the Living History Farm at Prophetstown State Park. 

Although Mary lived a quiet life in Tippecanoe County, her influence echoes in the lives of her family, friends, and former students. She leaves behind two brothers and a sister-in-law who love her very much, as well four nephews, a niece-in-law (Amie) and two great-nephews (Ollie and Asher) and extra special great niece, Lennon.

Visitation will be on Friday, November 15, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Hahn-Groeber funeral home with the rosary beginning at 4:30 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will begin on Saturday, November 16th at 11:00 a.m. in the St. Joseph Chapel at Central Catholic Jr Sr High School. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Lafayette Catholic School System and the Tippecanoe County Historical Association. Hahn-Groeber Funeral Home of Lafayette is honored to care for the Anthrop family. Please leave memories and condolences at hahngroeberfuneralhome.com