First African-American city employee
Mary Evelyn Terry Ice (1925-2011), the sister-in-law of another “first,” public school teacher LaVerta Terry, served as the first black employee of the city of Bloomington. Beginning in 1964, Ice walked the streets of Bloomington for 27 years as a parking meter technician. Ice once estimated that she walked 15 to 20 miles on her daily patrols and ticketed as many as 125 cars a day. After retirement, she continued to work at city voting stations on election day until she was 77. Ice was active in the community as a member of the Second Baptist Church, the Eastern Star, and the Jolly Bachelor Girls Club. Ice passed away on Feb. 8, 2011.