Mary “China” Rhyme

PORTAGE – Mary “China” Rhyme, age 88, passed away on August 15, 2012 at home on Swan Lake.

China was born on August 6, 1924 in Staten Island, New York, the daughter of Herbert and Eva Mary (Galvin) Chynoweth.  Mary was the youngest of four children born to Herbert E. Chynoweth and Eva Mary Galvin Chynoweth.  Until the age of 10 she lived in Staten Island.  Her father then moved the family to Washington, D.C. to accept a new job with the Roosevelt Administration.  Always ahead of her time, Mary skipped a year in junior high school, moved on to high school at Washington, D.C. Central High School and graduated in 1941.  Her father’s legal residence in Wisconsin allowed her to begin attending college at the University of Wisconsin Madison in the fall of 1941.  In addition to her studies, she was active in the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority and worked as a member of the Daily Cardinal staff.  She completed a degree in journalism in 1945.

An early feminist, China pursued a career as a journalist, landing a job with the then “Milwaukee Journal” on the society page.  In 1947, she was asked by her sorority sister, Anna Mae Snyder, to serve as an attendant at her upcoming wedding.  This small decision would set the course for the rest of her life. It was at this wedding where she met the love of her life, Frank Rhyme.  After a long distance romance,
China and Frank were married on August 14, 1948 in Washington, D.C.  Shortly thereafter, they moved to Portage to raise a family and become involved in community life.

China was an active member of the Portage community.  She joined the GG’s, the Junior Golden Gossips Club and attended regularly for over 40 years.  She was also active in helping bring cultural activities to Portage supporting efforts to bring opera performances and the ballet.  Ultimately she decided to turn her efforts to the Portage school system running for the school board in 1972.  She served on that board for 12 years including two terms as president.  A leader on the board, she was known for her keen intellect, principled stands and a willingness to do the right thing in the face of vocal opposition.

China was an avid golfer and curler well into her eighties. She served as president of the Portage Country Club Women’s Auxiliary and was actively involved in all the activities related to the Portage Curling Club.  For both Frank and China curling was more than a sport, it was a passion.  Combining business and pleasure, they purchased the ailing North American Curling News in 1980.  China served as the publisher and editor of the magazine, producing 10 issues per year for more than 12 years. 

Together, she and Frank traveled all over the world in pursuit of establishing the Curling News as a credible source for curling information.  She wrote an editorial each month called “Rhymestones,” which featured her special perspective on the latest developments in the sport.  In 2000, she and Frank received the Bruce Bennett media award for their journalistic contributions to curling from the United States Curling Association.

She is survived by her five children, William (Janice Jennings) Rhyme, Green Bay, Richard (Anne Rodgers-Rhyme) Rhyme, Madison, Margaret (Ron Frager) Rhyme, Denver, Colorado, Robert (Sissel Svanoe) Rhyme, Denver, Colorado and Nancy (Jim Carpenter) Rhyme, Denver, Colorado;  her grandchildren:  Megan, Katherine, Kristen and Kimberly Rhyme;  Jamieson Rhyme and Emily (Mark DiGirolamo) Rodgers;  Laura and Elizabeth Stevens;  Rebecca Rhyme and Christopher (Whitney) Rhyme;  Emma and Nicholas Carpenter;  a great-granddaughter, Stella DiGirolomo; and many close friends. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Frank on June 3, 2012.

Memorial services will be at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 18, 2012 at the Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage.  Inurnment will be private. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Portage Public Library Fundraising Campaign.