David and Mary Jane Sursa family papers

Collection

Identifier: MSS-381

Staff Only

Content Description

This collection includes diaries, scrapbooks, correspondence, photographs, Christmas cards, newspaper clippings, family history documents, and funeral papers from the David and Mary Jane Sursa family of Muncie, Indiana ranging from 1938 to 2018.

Dates

Creation: 1938 - 2018

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Ball State University Libraries make every reasonable effort to provide accurate information regarding the copyright status of materials held by Archives and Special Collections. Patrons may scan items or request a reproduction of one or more items in the collection; however, it is the responsibility of the patron to evaluate whether or not the intended use complies with copyright law.

In cases where the University holds copyright to collection materials, staff must grant written permission for most commercial uses of the collection. Staff will not grant permission in cases where copyright is owned by other individuals or organizations.

Ball State University holds copyright to some or all materials in this collection. Archives and Special Collections staff must grant written permission for most commercial uses of the collection; no permission is necessary for noncommercial or academic uses.

Biographical Note

Charles David "David" Sursa was born on November 5, 1925 in Muncie, Indiana to Charles Vaught and Ethel F. (Schukraft) Sursa. He attended Muncie Central High School where he graduated in 1943. David received a degree in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University in 1946 and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School two years later in 1948. On February 2, 1947 he married Mary Jane Palmer, daughter of Carl H. and Crystal M. Palmer.

Mary Jane was born in Muncie in 1925 and graduated from Muncie Central High School with her future husband in 1943. In 1945 Mary Jane became a registered nurse after completing her training at the Methodist Hospital of Indianapolis. She worked in several hospitals; however, most of her career and volunteer work as a nurse was spent at the IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital. David and Mary Jane were involved in a variety of professional and community-oriented activities. Upon his father's death in 1951, David Sursa became the youngest bank president in the United States at the age of 26. Professionally, David also served as a director for a variety of companies and corporations such as the Industrial Trust and Savings Bank of Muncie, Indiana, the Muncie Industrial Development Corporation, and the Ontario Development Corporation. He was a member of several business and financial organizations including the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions, the Indiana Bankers Association, and the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce.

David and Mary Jane were heavily involved in civic organizations within Muncie and acted as influential promoters of the arts. Mary Jane served as a board member for the Ball Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, the Visiting Nurse Association, and the Youth Opportunity Center. The Sursas' involvement in community events and Ball State University resulted in multiple awards and honors. Ball State's Sursa Performance Hall was built and named in honor of it's benefactors, and is now the location of university and community concerts. David and Mary Jane were active members of the First Presbyterian Church of Muncie.

The couple had four children: Charles, Janet, Ann, and Laura.

Charles David Sursa passed away on June 29, 2003 in Muncie. His wife, Mary Jane (Palmer) Sursa, passed away several years later on May 18, 2018.