Obituary

Mary Linda Rapelye

Sun, 04/11/2021 - 10:00am

Mary Linda Rapelye passed away April 5, 2021 with her brother Gardiner Rapelye Jr. and dear friends Julianna and Will Anderson by her side. She bravely fought a form of cancer. She was 76 years young.

Mary Linda started a long career of acting when she was 5. After her part in an outdoor production at The Starlight Theater in her home town, Kansas City, Missouri, she climbed off the stage and sat in her father’s lap. This was to be the beginning of her work spanning nearly eight decades on stage, screen and television. She is best known for her roles in "StarTrek," Truman Capote’s "In Cold Blood" and two soap operas, "One Life To Live" and "As The World Turns."

She attended Barstow School For Girls, Wellesley College and the University of Kansas School of Fine Arts. She was a part of a troop of thespians that traveled Eastern and Western Europe with the production of "An American Medley." She was a member of The Screen Actor’s Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and National Society of Colonial Dames America of Maine.

Mary Linda was always full of adventure and creativity. She was married to Dr. Jim Flint and resided in Middlebury, Connecticut for 10 years. It was during this time that she created the company “Your A Doll.” The look like you dolls were marketed throughout the country. While she was in the soap operas, she introduced Rapelye Cosmetics, multiple shades of lipstick in a sleek black case.

She always had a unending devotion to animals. Upon moving to Maine in 1999 she had the vision to create what was to become Lyric Meadow Farm. The farm became the haven for multiple numbers and breads of animals, most notably her breeding of Goldendoodles. With her love of entertaining, the farm also became a venue for weddings and larger than life parties.

In addition to her brother she is survived by her cousins and their families: Charline Franz of Phoenix, Chip Schmelzer of Kansas City, Barbara Masemore of Philadelphia, Tina Rapelye Camilli of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Cherie Rapelye of Like Park Florida, Toni Byrd of Monrovia, Maryland, Andy Cowherd of New Jersey, and Cindy Cowherd of Prairie Village, Kansas. She is also survived by her stepbrothers, Sandy McGee from New York, Burr McGee of Overland Park, Kansas, John McGee of Prairie Village, Kansas and Pat McGee of Kansas City, Missouri. She has two nephews Beau Rapelye and his family and Tanner Rapelye and his family, all of Overland Park, Kansas.