The Mary Eleanor “Mariel” Neu papers date from 1912 to 2007 and measure 6 linear feet in 13 boxes. The papers are arranged in nine series: Biographical, Girl Scouts, Drake University, Professional, Ed Jacomo, Diaries, Family History, Photographs, and Artifacts.

The Biographical series (1940-1980) holds materials relating to Neu’s junior and senior high work and early artwork. There are materials about Neu’s church life and her autograph collection.

The Girl Scouts series (1947-1956) contains song books, photographs, and memorabilia of Neu’s time as a Girl Scout, as well as correspondence with her international Girl Scout pen pals and her attendance at the first National Senior Roundup in Michigan. The Drake University series (1962-1980) includes coursework, correspondence with friends, and materials relating to her extracurricular activities, notably Kappa Kappa Gamma and the Young Republicans.

The Professional series (1960-2004) holds correspondence, photographs, and class work from when Neu taught junior high art in Ames, Iowa, as well as awards, artwork, courses, and correspondence while Neu was a professor at Western Michigan University. The Ed Jacomo series (1991-2007) mostly holds notes and correspondence between Neu and Jacomo. There is also a diary Neu kept relating to Jacomo’s health and death from an AIDS-related illness, as well as pictures of Jacomo’s cat, Cleveland, who Neu adopted after Jacomo’s passing.

The Diaries series (1950-1994) has sporadic diary excerpts from throughout Neu’s life, ranging from childhood into her professional life. There are notes Neu passed with her friends as children included in this series.

The Family History series (1930-1983) is made up primarily of correspondence between Neu and her parents, Kenneth Neu and Eleanor (Elly) Irons Neu. This includes letters Ken Neu sent back home while serving in World War II, Mariel Neu’s letters home from college, and correspondence from other extended family. This series also holds some of Eleanor Irons Neu’s personal papers, such as a diary, materials relating to her professional life at the Des Moines Register, and her time at the University of Minnesota. There are also several files related to Ken and Eleanor Neu’s wedding and life together.

The Photographs series (1913-1996) holds photographs of Mariel Neu throughout her life. There are photographs from Eleanor Irons Neu’s childhood and early life, as well as Neu family photographs.

The Artifacts series (1955-1957, undated) is made up primarily of political buttons, some of which likely belonged to her father, an active Republican voter. Also included is Mariel Neu’s Girl Scout uniform and handbooks. There is a Kappa Kappa Gamma nameplate, Iowa Pilgrim Fellowship nametag, and political license plate in the series as well.