Former mayor Mary Alice Dunlap dies
by Donita Hadley
Mary Alice Dunlap, the first woman to serve as mayor of the city of Bloomington, died of a cerebral hemorrhage Saturday at Bloomington Hospital. She was 81.
Dunlap made history as the first woman mayor when she was appointed to the post by the Bloomington City Council in May 1962 following the resignation of then-Mayor Tom Lemon, who left office to take a job with the U.S. Postal Service.
As mayor of Bloomington from 1962 to 1964, Dunlap became the second woman to serve in that capacity in Indiana. Dunlap, a Democrat, lost her bid for election as mayor in 1963 by a few hundred votes.
In a newspaper article celebrating Women's History Month in 1990, Dunlap considered her brief stint as mayor the "highlight of my whole career" and praised the city council as a group of men ahead of their time in appointing her mayor.
Former Bloomington mayor and 8th District Congressman Frank McCloskey spoke of his friendship with Dunlap, whom he characterized as an "outstanding community leader." "She was dedicated, intelligent, incisive and very public spirited - a great and loyal Democrat," said McCloskey. "When I was mayor, we became good friends and she was always available for advice and continued public service."
Dunlap's years of service to Bloomington began in 1945 when she served as a clerk in the city water department, then as manager of the water department from 1948 to 1952. She was twice elected city clerk/treasurer, serving in that position from 1956 to 1962, and was president of the Indiana Clerk/Treasurer's League from 1959 to 1962.
Dunlap left public office for 15 years after leaving the mayor's office at the end of 1963, but returned to civic duty when she was named by the County Plan Commission in November 1977 to succeed Ralph Johnson as planning coordinator, serving in that administrative post from January 1978 to 1980.
She was inducted into the Monroe County Women's Hall of Fame in 1978 and in 1990 honored by the Bloomington Commission on the Status of Women for her distinguished career in public service. Dunlap's career as a businesswoman included serving as office manager of Neumode Shops, assistant manager of the Poplars Midtown Motor Hotel and as manager of the Van Laningham Employment Service.
She was a member of various committees of the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce from 1962 to 1986, and was a member of the Bloomington Board of Realtors and Alcoholic Beverage Commission. She served on the board of directors of the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation, Monroe County Parks and Recreation, Bloomington Hospital, Family Services Association, Mental Health Clinic and Monroe County Extension Services. She was also a past president of the Monroe County Cancer Society.
Her memberships also included the First Baptist Church/United Church of Christ, Delta Sigma Kappa and American Legion Auxiliary.
A Monroe County native, she was born Sept. 13, 1913, the daughter of Wren and Elizabeth (Lampkins) Stevens. She was raised by her stepfather and mother, Carl and Elizabeth (Lampkins) Meadows.
Survivors include her husband, Chester L. Dunlap; her daughter, Patricia Dunlap of Bloomington; and two grandchildren, Cynthia Simpson O'Mahoney of Bloomington and Pamela Sue Dunlap of Indianapolis.
Services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at the First Baptist Church/United Church of Christ with the Rev. Robert A. Curtis officiating. Burial will be at [Rose Hill Cemetery, Section J, Lot T-13]. Friends may call 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Tuesday at Allen Funeral Home and a half hour prior to services Wednesday at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church/United Church of Christ.
[Bloomington Herald-Times, September 11, 1995, page A1]
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The Monroe County, Indiana Death Records Index lists Mary Alice Dunlap as follows:
Name: Dunlap, Mary Alice
Age: 81
DOD: 09-10-1995
Burial Place: Rose Hill Cemetery