Mary Lou Niebling

Mary Lou Anna Niebling died peacefully from complications of old age in the presence of two of her children at Aberdeen Village in Olathe Kansas in the early morning of Wednesday, March 26, 2025. She had an extraordinary, family-oriented, Christian-rooted life of more than 93 years.

Mary Lou was born on Oct. 17, 1931 in St. Louis, Missouri, where she also grew up. She graduated from Southwest High School in June 1948 and Washington University in June 1952 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education. After graduating, she taught physical education at the University of Omaha for two years. There she met Archibald Templeton, a medical student in one of her dancing classes, and had her first date with him in late April 1953. While dating Arch and teaching, she also earned her Master of Arts in Physical Education from the University of Iowa in Feb. 1955. She and Arch were married on June 18, 1955 in Omaha, Nebraska. The newlyweds lived there until the summer of 1957. As Arch pursued his career, they moved and lived one year in Lima, Ohio, three years in Detroit, Michigan, two years in Norfolk, Virgina, one year in St. Louis, four years in Columbia, Missouri, and four years in Mission Hills, Kansas. After 17 years of marriage, however, she and Arch divorced on July 12, 1972. After living in Mission Hills another five years, she moved in June 1977 to nearby Prairie Village, where she lived for almost 27 years. She moved to Aberdeen Village in late December 2003 and actively participated in its community until the pandemic in 2020.

Mary Lou had several jobs after she married. For example, she worked as a volunteer for the Boone County (Missouri) Chapter of the American Red Cross, initially as its director of swimming and subsequently as its chairwoman for water safety. She obtained her real-estate licenses for Kansas and Missouri during the second half of 1976 and sold real estate for more than three years. After taking pre-nursing courses during academic year 1980-1981, she began Kansas University’s nursing program in August 1981. She graduated with her BS in Nursing in May 1983 and became a registered nurse a month later. Although she worked as a nurse at KU for 14 years, Mary Lou considered that the most significant event in her professional life was her work as a critical care nurse in KU’s Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit for 10 of the 14 years. She retired from KU in July 1997.

Mary Lou became a member of Village Presbyterian Church in March 1969. At different times during the next 40 years, she participated in the church’s choir, Stephen Ministry, Parish Nursing, Mission Committee, Food Pantry, and Women’s Organization. She received the 2008 Woman of Faith Award from the Presbyterian Women of Village Church for her service.

Mary Lou frequently enjoyed visiting Ghost Ranch, a Presbyterian-owned retreat and education center near Abiquiu, New Mexico. She participated in a week-long retreat of Village Church’s choir in June 1972 during her first visit. She worked as the Ranch’s on-site nurse for eight weeks in August and September 2002 during her eighth and final one.

Mary Lou was warm, generous, and kind. She loved her children, grandchildren, and other family members without conditions. She remembered birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. She was also warm and hospitable to hundreds of others. She had integrity. She was candid about her interior life. She became more open-minded, self-confident, and active in church after her divorce. She was deeply patriotic yet curious about other countries. She avidly rooted for KU men’s basketball. She enjoyed playing piano, singing in choirs, playing Bridge and other card games, swimming, and making jigsaw puzzles. She loved to dance.

Mary Lou is preceded in death by her parents, Louis and Viola Niebling, and brother Richard Niebling. She is survived by five children and their spouses or partners: Debbie (née Templeton) Cooper and Shep, Scott Templeton and Nancy del Valle, Karen (née Templeton) Cox and Glendon, Mark Templeton and Jennifer Majetich, and Craig Templeton and Tracey. She leaves behind eleven grandchildren: Christina, Mitchell, and Matthew Cooper, Mikael and Zachary Templeton, Daniel Cox, Brent and Ryan Templeton, and Courtney, Chloe, and Rachel Templeton. She is survived by two step grandsons: Geoffrey and Justin Cox. She leaves behind eight cousins, eight nieces or nephews, and five great grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life for Mary Lou Niebling will be held in the chapel of the Village Presbyterian Church at 10am on Saturday, April 12. Her family will host a reception with refreshments at 11am in the church’s Friendship Hall. The Village Presbyterian Church is located at 6641 Mission Road in Prairie Village, Kansas 66208.

In lieu of flowers, please consider sending a check payable to Village Presbyterian Church with “Niebling Memorial-Food Pantry” or “Niebling Memorial-Choir” in the memo line. Please use the address above. To make a non-check memorial gift, please contact Bob Sperry at 913-671-2325 or bob.sperry@villagepres.org . Alternatively, please consider making a check payable to KU Endowment with “in memory of Mary Lou Niebling” in the memo line. Send the check to KU Endowment, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., MailStop 3012, Kansas City KS 66160. To make a memorial contribution online, start at https://www.kuendowment.org/give, select “Choose Area(s)", scroll down to “School of Nursing”, check the box for “School of Nursing (01077)” and follow the instructions.