Jack Kinrade Mawdsley

Jack Kinrade Mawdsley passed away as he lived, with great courage and loving focus on family, on November 15, 2024.

Jack was born October 8, 1928, in Granite City, Illinois, the son of Ed and Wella Mawdsley. He attended the public schools of that city, graduating from Granite City High School in 1946, and went on to earn Bachelors and Masters Degrees from Southern Illinois University and a Doctorate in Educational Administration from Michigan State University.

In high school, Jack was President of his graduating senior class, and played both basketball and tennis. Continuing with tennis at the collegiate level, he won the conference singles championship two successive years and was honored as a senior in Stanley Woodward's “Who's Who in American Sports.” As a result of his other additional campus activities, he was also selected for “Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities.”

Jack served in the United States Air Force, earning his wings and commission as a fighter pilot during the Korean War years. One month after his discharge from the service, he married Norma Jean Mosby, also of Granite City, in their hometown Presbyterian church. That, Jack always said, was the best decision of his life.

Jack lived a life of service and was a dedicated lifelong educator. After two years of teaching in Illinois and one in the Fairplain Schools of Benton Harbor, Jack joined the Battle Creek Public Schools in 1955 as a counselor and tennis coach. Through the years, he served as Assistant Principal of Central High School, Principal of W.K. Kellogg Junior High, Director of Secondary Education, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, and Associate Superintendent before becoming Superintendent in 1973. In 1986, he joined the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as a Program Director in Youth and Education, becoming Vice President of that unit before retiring in 1997.

Above all, Jack was a loving devoted, and much beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He was preceded in death by his Norma, wife of 71 years, and son-in-law Charles Chase. Surviving are his two daughters, Kim (Mawdsley) Chase and Beth Mawdsley Sherwood; four grandchildren, Anthony Chase, Charles Jack (Sarah) Chase; Elizabeth (Joe Alpers) Chase; and Ian M. Sherwood; as well as two great grandchildren, Christopher Chase and Vincent Chase.

Jack was involved in many civic activities, including serving as President of the Battle Creek Rotary Club, and as Chair of the Boards of the Battle Creek Chamber of Commerce, the Battle Creek Health System Community Partners and the Robert B. Miller College. He also served on the Health System Board of Directors, the Great Lakes Bank Corporate Board of Trustees, and the Arts and Education Committee of the Battle Creek Community Foundation. He has been a Deacon, an Elder and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the First Presbyterian Church, and chaired fund drives for the United Way and the Family Y Center.

He also served his profession in a number of leadership roles. He was President of the Horace Mann League of the United States, the Mid American Association of School Superintendents, the Michigan Middle Cities Association, and served on National Advisory Committees of the Colleges of Education at Michigan State University and Southern Illinois University. He was presented with a Distinguished Alumnus Award from both universities, and served as the President of the College of Education Alumni Association of MSU. He was selected as Educator of the Year by the Michigan Congress of Parents, Teachers and Students and was a long-time member of the Michigan and American Association of School Administrators. He was a member of both the AASA Foundation Board and the National School Board Association Foundation Board. He belonged to Phi Delta Kappa, Kappa Phi Kappa and the Century Club (two superintendents from each state). He was appointed to the search committee by Western Michigan University on two occasions in their search for a new Dean for their college of education. Jack was presented the Four Seasons Award by the National Association for Year- Round Education and was a Woodrow Wilson National Fellow.

Jack's gentleman manners, wise counsel, giving spirit, and ready smile will be sorely missed. With never-ending love, he will forever remain in the hearts and minds of his family and friends.

The family will privately celebrate and honor Jack's life. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Battle Creek Community Foundation's Battle Creek Public Schools Education Fund — Jack K. Mawdsley Scholarship Fund.

Arrangements are by Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Cremation Preneed Care. Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.