Individual Details
Mazelle Van Cleave
(4 Aug 1927 - 22 Mar 2013)
Herald-Times, Bloomington, Indiana, Friday, March 29, 2013: AUG. 4, 1927 - MAR. 22, 2013. Mazelle VanCleave Kirkpatrick VanBuskirk an unforgettable teacher of art and life. Mazelle VanCleave was born August 4, 1927, in Louisville, Kentucky. She spent her childhood in Chandler's Chapel on a farm in rural Kentucky, reared by her grandmother and her Aunt Iola. The unfailing love and attention of this aunt she always felt had much to do with her later positive outlook on life. She returned to Louisville as a teenager, where she was eventually invited to join the household of her employer, Dr. Roy Diamond, a physician. She always thought of Dr. Diamond as instrumental in her intellectual development and appreciation of art and music. She also acquired from him a lifelong affinity for medicine and Judaism. Leaving Louisville in the 50's, she came to Bloomington. Working to put herself through Indiana University, she originally took science courses with the idea of becoming a physician, but later began to pursue her interest in art history. In 1959 Mazelle married Clifford Kirkpatrick, the former chairman of the Indiana University Department of Sociology. During this time she designed and supervised their remodeling of "the Barn" on Bender Road and landscaped the property that was to become her beloved KirkCliff. Over the years the unique house in its beautiful park-like setting was a haven for many acquaintances and friends whom she frequently entertained with teas, dinners, birthday and holiday celebrations.
She earned her Master's in Fine Arts in 1964 and was insightfully appointed by then chairman of Fine Arts, Henry Hope, to teach art appreciation for the department where she was to become an Assistant Professor and eventually given the title of Distinguished Lecturer in Art Appreciation. Her unique ability to convey the excitement and importance of art to the lives of her students soon made her course one of the most popular on campus. Enrollment grew from a few dozen to over four hundred a semester. Although insisting on strict academic discipline and formality, not favored in the sixties, her unique personality and genuine concern for her students, won her the love of hundreds who stood in long lines to visit her after every class. She regularly extended office hours to sundown to accommodate as many as she could. The personal interest she took in them, her keenly intelligent advice, her genuine caring and often active involvement, not only fostered their academic growth but helped many through difficult personal situations. Her skill and the devotion of her students, many of whom returned (along with visiting art professors and other curious faculty and staff) to sit in on her class, were officially recognized in 1984 when she received the Distinguished Teaching Award from the College of Arts and Sciences and in the same year won the Outstanding Faculty Award from the Student Alumni Council.
Professor Kirkpatrick died in 1971. Mazelle later married Carl Van Buskirk, a composer, poet and retired chair of the voice department at the School of Music. Mazelle retired herself in 1989, to devote her time to her husband and many friends. However, her remarkable scholarship and speaking talent kept her in great demand as a lecturer. She was widely sought by various organizations including Honeywell House, Hadassah, and Meadowood. She taught in the Indiana University Mini University from 1975 to 1989. She spoke with equal erudition and inspiring enthusiasm on subjects as varied as Bernini, Michelangelo, Matisse, Ben Shahn, Marc Chagall, Georgia O'Keeffe, and William Merritt Chase. In 1998 she won the Award for Teaching Excellence given by the School of Continuing Studies, now Life-Long Learning. Mazelle took an active personal interest in her countless friends who ranged from supermarket employees to Herman Wells and many of the most distinguished artists, musicians, intellectuals, and educators in the community and the world.
Throughout her life she supported and guided new artists, including Bruce David and Connie Brorson, who have gratefully acknowledged her help and encouragement at the beginning of their careers. Mazelle's love of music equaled her enthusiasm for fine art, and many of her most valued friends and acquaintances were from the School of Music. In 1993 Mazelle established the Carl G. Van Buskirk Memorial Scholarship to be awarded annually to juniors and seniors pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree. Contributions to this fund would be the best tribute to her and the way she would want to be remembered.
Four years ago Mazelle suffered a severe stroke which left her paralyzed and largely unable to speak. This ordeal she bore with heroic patience; and, even so severely compromised, the irrepressible beauty of her personality managed to win the affection and admiration of her professional caregivers. During this time she was visited almost daily by her long-devoted friends, Roy Sillings and Michael Howell, whose love, respect and gratitude she will always have.
She is survived by her stepchildren, Meredith Kirkpatrick of Boston, Laird Kirkpatrick and his wife Lind of Washington, D.C., grandchildren Ryan and Morgan Kirkpatrick of Los Angeles, and George Van Buskirk of Bloomington. Contributions to the Carl G. Van Buskirk Memorial Scholarship Fund should be sent to Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Carl G. Van Buskirk Scholarship Fund, c/o Indiana University Foundation P.O. Box 6460, Indianapolis, Ind. 46206-6460. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.DayFuneralServices.com.
She earned her Master's in Fine Arts in 1964 and was insightfully appointed by then chairman of Fine Arts, Henry Hope, to teach art appreciation for the department where she was to become an Assistant Professor and eventually given the title of Distinguished Lecturer in Art Appreciation. Her unique ability to convey the excitement and importance of art to the lives of her students soon made her course one of the most popular on campus. Enrollment grew from a few dozen to over four hundred a semester. Although insisting on strict academic discipline and formality, not favored in the sixties, her unique personality and genuine concern for her students, won her the love of hundreds who stood in long lines to visit her after every class. She regularly extended office hours to sundown to accommodate as many as she could. The personal interest she took in them, her keenly intelligent advice, her genuine caring and often active involvement, not only fostered their academic growth but helped many through difficult personal situations. Her skill and the devotion of her students, many of whom returned (along with visiting art professors and other curious faculty and staff) to sit in on her class, were officially recognized in 1984 when she received the Distinguished Teaching Award from the College of Arts and Sciences and in the same year won the Outstanding Faculty Award from the Student Alumni Council.
Professor Kirkpatrick died in 1971. Mazelle later married Carl Van Buskirk, a composer, poet and retired chair of the voice department at the School of Music. Mazelle retired herself in 1989, to devote her time to her husband and many friends. However, her remarkable scholarship and speaking talent kept her in great demand as a lecturer. She was widely sought by various organizations including Honeywell House, Hadassah, and Meadowood. She taught in the Indiana University Mini University from 1975 to 1989. She spoke with equal erudition and inspiring enthusiasm on subjects as varied as Bernini, Michelangelo, Matisse, Ben Shahn, Marc Chagall, Georgia O'Keeffe, and William Merritt Chase. In 1998 she won the Award for Teaching Excellence given by the School of Continuing Studies, now Life-Long Learning. Mazelle took an active personal interest in her countless friends who ranged from supermarket employees to Herman Wells and many of the most distinguished artists, musicians, intellectuals, and educators in the community and the world.
Throughout her life she supported and guided new artists, including Bruce David and Connie Brorson, who have gratefully acknowledged her help and encouragement at the beginning of their careers. Mazelle's love of music equaled her enthusiasm for fine art, and many of her most valued friends and acquaintances were from the School of Music. In 1993 Mazelle established the Carl G. Van Buskirk Memorial Scholarship to be awarded annually to juniors and seniors pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree. Contributions to this fund would be the best tribute to her and the way she would want to be remembered.
Four years ago Mazelle suffered a severe stroke which left her paralyzed and largely unable to speak. This ordeal she bore with heroic patience; and, even so severely compromised, the irrepressible beauty of her personality managed to win the affection and admiration of her professional caregivers. During this time she was visited almost daily by her long-devoted friends, Roy Sillings and Michael Howell, whose love, respect and gratitude she will always have.
She is survived by her stepchildren, Meredith Kirkpatrick of Boston, Laird Kirkpatrick and his wife Lind of Washington, D.C., grandchildren Ryan and Morgan Kirkpatrick of Los Angeles, and George Van Buskirk of Bloomington. Contributions to the Carl G. Van Buskirk Memorial Scholarship Fund should be sent to Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Carl G. Van Buskirk Scholarship Fund, c/o Indiana University Foundation P.O. Box 6460, Indianapolis, Ind. 46206-6460. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.DayFuneralServices.com.
Events
| Birth | 4 Aug 1927 | Louisville, Jefferson Co., Kentucky |  | ||
| Residence | 1930 | Louisville, Jefferson Co., Kentucky | | ||
| Marriage | Aft 1948 | William R Geisert | | ||
| Divorce | Abt 1958 | Bloomington, Monroe Co., Indiana - William R Geisert | | ||
| Marriage | 24 Apr 1959 | Bloomington, Monroe Co., Indiana - Clifford Kirkpatrick | | ||
| Marriage | 11 May 1972 | Nashville, Brown Co., Indiana - Carl George Van Buskirk | | ||
| Death | 22 Mar 2013 | Bloomington, Monroe Co., Indiana | | ||
| Residence | Bloomington, Monroe Co., Indiana | | |||
| Burial | Unknown | |
Families
| Spouse | Clifford Kirkpatrick (1898 - 1971) |
| Spouse | Carl George Van Buskirk (1906 - 1993) |
| Spouse | William R Geisert (1919 - 1994) |
Endnotes
9. Obituary of Mazelle VanCleave Kirkpatrick Van Buskirk, Herald-Times, Bloomington, Indiana,Thursday, March 29, 2013.