12/05/2025
Maude Marie Jennings
Dr. Maude Marie Jennings, of Muncie, Indiana, entered into eternal rest on November 16, 2025. She was born on October 11, 1927, in Harlem, New York, to Lancelot Oliver and Alice Walker James.
Gifted in art and creativity, Maude attended the High School of Music and Art in Manhattan. She earned a scholarship to Hampton University and later continued her education at Wilberforce College in Ohio, where she became a Registered Nurse. Interested in the medical field from a young age, she worked in hospitals on the East Coast for 20 years, most notably as Operating Room Supervisor and Assistant Director of Nurses at The Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. It was also at this time that she met the Sheehan family, who have remained closely connected to Maude through many generations. Throughout her life, she remained deeply connected to her roots, often driving back to visit friends and family – an expression of both her independence and her enduring care for those she loved.
As Professor Emerita of English, Women’s Studies, Gender Studies, and African American Studies, Maude devoted more than 25 years of service to Ball State University, where her commitments to teaching, learning, and mentoring left a lasting impact on the innumerable colleagues, friends, and students who deeply respected and adored her, namely Dr. Kim Jones-Owen, Dr. Julee Rosser, Elaine Cotner, Dr. Courtney Jarrett, and Adam McLachlan.
After her retirement from Ball State, Maude continued to work and to share her knowledge with the Muncie community, embodying her belief that learning is a lifelong endeavor. For several years, Dr. Jennings taught classes for the Update Learning Program at High Street United Methodist Church, helping senior citizens to develop their writing skills. She also lovingly volunteered with many organizations promoting literacy in youth, such as the Martin Luther King Dream Team, Motivate Our Minds, Precious Hearts Daycare, and her extensive work with Mary Dollison at the Roy C. Buley Community Center.
Aside from her work as a perpetual teacher and learner, Maude was also a lifelong supporter of the arts. She was an active participant in the Quarterly Poetry Night gatherings at the historic Heorot Pub and Draught House as a featured artist in 2020, 2021, and in 2022, co-presenting the poem “MAUDE and ME” with Debra Gindhart Dragoo. Maude was also often involved with the Muncie Civic Theater, an integral part of Laura Williamson’s Reader’s Theater Class, and acted in Muncie Civic's production of I Hate Hamlet in 2020. She extended her art into her work with the larger Muncie community by performing in Beth Nahre’s traveling theater group, which entertained community and retirement centers. Maude put her heart and soul into every part she read, adding such talent, grace, inspiration, insight, and theatrical pizazz.
Maude also gave back to the Muncie community in various ways through her passion projects, which included advocating for the Whitely community as Secretary of the Whitely Community Council. She was also devoted to raising awareness about poverty and food insecurity in Muncie through her work with the Facing Project, the League of Women Voters, the AAUW’s Hunger Program, and through her op-ed pieces in The Star Press. She also supported the Red Tail Land Conservancy, which protects wildlife and preserves habitats in East Central Indiana. For her tireless commitment to the people and environment of Muncie, she was awarded the Delaware County Personal Integrity Award in 2018, which recognizes residents who have demonstrated high moral character through their work in the community.
Maude is survived by her beloved nieces and nephews: Dolores Williams, Michelle Edgehill, Theodore Edgehill, and Lester Knibbs. She was preceded in death by her sister Madeline Edgehill, her brother Auther Knibbs (Lulu Knipps), her nephew Auther Jr. Knipps, and her parents.
Those who knew Dr. Maude Jennings will remember her as a woman of remarkable character – stubborn in spirit, fiercely independent, loving, sociable, and always a straight talker. She lived with honesty and an unwavering dedication to others. Maude poured into her community through service, activism, and advocacy. She prioritized connection and believed in the power of conversation to overcome differences. Always choosing the high roads of grace and compassion, she never gave up fighting the good fight and encouraging others to do the same. Her legacy lives on in the many lives she touched – as a teacher, a mentor, a family member, and a cherished friend.
Quarterly Poetry Night is planning an evening dedicated to Maude on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at the Heorot Pub and Draught House (219 South Walnut Street in Muncie, Indiana) from 7 – 9 pm (ages 21+ only). There will also be a memorial service for her on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at the Muncie Unitarian Universalist Church (4800 West Bradford Drive) from 1– 4 pm, with light refreshments available (all are welcome to attend). In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Dr. Maude Jennings’ name to one of her favorite non-profits: National Public Radio (or Indiana Public Radio). To donate, please visit: https://www.npr.org/donations/support
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