Mildred Louise Mayginnes

Mildred Louise Mayginnes, age 97, passed away peacefully at The Bluffs nursing home in Columbia, MO on April 13, 2025 surrounded by family. She spent her final weeks there with many visits by family and friends and enjoying the fellowship created by many games of dominoes.

She is survived by her children, Raymon (Dorothy) Mayginnes of Valley Park, MO; Paula (Chris) Mattingley of Columbia, MO; Kevin (Jennifer) Mayginnes of Elkhorn, WI; and Kyle (Rene) Mayginnes of Marysville, OH as well as her sister Beverly Eicher of Colby, KS. Mildred had 24 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and 14 great-great grandchildren and innumerable nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by husband Paul Mayginnes in 2019 after nearly 70 years of marriage, and by her parents Lloyd and Grace Sims, 3 siblings: Wight Sims, Jean Huggins, and Audrey Sowers, and one son James “Boone” Mayginnes in 2023. Her presence and love will be deeply missed by all who knew her and her legacy lives on through the lives she touched as a parent, grandparent, aunt, neighbor and teacher.

She was born Mildred Louise Sims to Lloyd and Grace (Switzer) Sims on the family farm outside Oakley, KS April 30, 1927 being the 2nd of 5 children. While in school, she developed a love of reading and education and set a goal to become a teacher. To that end, she attended Kansas State University and met the love of her life, Paul Harry Mayginnes, while he was a student worker in the cafeteria. He had just been discharged from the US Navy following the conclusion of World War II. They married May 29, 1949, shortly after graduation and a year later started their family while living in Kansas City, KS.

Mildred and Paul had 5 children to keep them busy but she was successful in fulfilling her desire to teach and taught first in Marion, KS and then in Boonville, MO following a move there in 1966. She taught 5th grade in Boonville most of her career and then ended full-time teaching 3rd grade. After retirement she continued on as a substitute teacher for many years. In 2002, she and Paul moved to their new home in Columbia, MO and she continued living in their home following Paul’s passing in 2019.

Besides her love of her family and career, Mildred was known for her love of quilting. She gifted handmade quilts to celebrate births, graduations and marriages to 3 generations of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Mildred and Paul were long-time members of the First Christian Church in Boonville, MO and the Broadway Christian Church in Columbia, MO.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at 10 a.m. with a memorial service following at 11 a.m. at Broadway Christian Church, 2601 W. Broadway, Columbia, MO 65203.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Columbia Public Schools Foundation to support local education. https://cpsf.org/donation-form/