Mary Alice Tolson Springer a graduate of Vincennes University and Indiana University with a major in Chemistry, began her career at Mead Johnson & Company in Evansville, Indiana. Over time, Mary Alice branched out professionally along several career paths, including: computer systems specialist, clinical studies coordinator, medical writer, and ultimately owner of her medical writing company, Bluegrass Documentation, which she still operates.
Growing up in Vincennes, with tales of the exploits of George Rogers Clark and of “Alice of Old Vincennes,” Maurice Thompson’s fictional heroine of the Battle of Fort Sackville, ringing in her ears, Mary Alice learned to love history.
In her Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) work, Mary Alice was given recognition for her work on the Bicentennial Commemoration of George Washington’s death in 1999. In 2002, she was awarded First Place in the National Society of DAR "National Defense Editorial Contest" on the World Trade Center Attack of September 11, 2001. In 2004, she took Second Place in the state of Kentucky for her National Defense editorial Honoring our War Dead on Memorial Day. As Commemorative Events Chairman for her chapter in 2007-2009, Mary Alice organized and oversaw her chapter’s celebration of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial, This two year event won a First Place Award by the NSDAR in July of 2010.
While serving as DAR Chapter Regent in 2009, she got the opportunity to “make a difference” to preserve the family cemetery of General Hopkins by addressing the city commissioners, pointing out Hopkins’ service in both military and civic roles and of all he had done for Henderson as its founder. She asked them to please fund the initial phases for the preservation of this historic cemetery. With the funding in tow, she was asked to serve on an Ad Hoc Committee to oversee the actual preservation and restoration of Spring Garden Cemetery. The City of Henderson dedicated the restored Spring Garden Cemetery with pomp and pageantry on September 16, 2011 on the 192nd. anniversary of General Hopkins’ death.
Anyone interested in genealogy or history is invited... you do not need to be a member to attend the society's monthly meetings.
