Mary Maxine [Ramsey] LaFollette 1924-2011

RAMSEY, LAFOLLETTE, COLLINS, HARGER, SWAIM, BILLINGTON, MATHES

Posted By: Curtis (email)
Date: 10/3/2011 at 09:09:23

DEATH NOTICE:

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa September 21, 2011)

LAFOLLETTE, Mary Maxine [Ramsey], 87, of Weldon Iowa, died on Saturday, September 10, 2011. Services were held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 14, 2011, at Life Point Assembly of God, with Pastor Rich Queener and Pastor Chuck DeVos officiating. Interment followed at the Van Wert Cemetery, Van Wert, Iowa.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Leon Assembly of God Church, Leon, Iowa. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.kalefuneralhome.com.

Obituary -

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon,Iowa September 21, 2011)

MARY MAXINE [RAMSEY] LaFOLLETTE ... Mary Maxine [Ramsey] LaFollette was born on August 23, 1924, and went to Heaven on September 10, 2011 at the age of 87.

Maxine attended a variety of rural elementary and High Schools in Clarke and Decatur counties. In 1941, while attending Kellerton High School, she lettered in basketball. Their team won 24 out of the 26 games played that season. Maxine graduated from Osceola High School in 1943.

She attended Simpson College in Indianola to earn her teaching degree. She taught for nearly ten years in several different country schools in Clarke and Decatur counties.

Maxine and Ron were married in Osceola, Iowa at the Assembly of God Parsonage, on May 20, 1949. Maxine quit teaching in 1953 after the birth of her first child, and Ron started working at Firestone. They moved to Des Moines soon after, where both of their sons were born. The family attended the Foursquare Church, where she taught Sunday School. Maxine sang in a trio, and later taught all of her children to sing harmony and play instruments.

Although Maxine struggled with Parkinson's, she still enjoyed gardening, canning, cooking, camping, collecting dolls, and attending music festivals. She still performed whenever prompted right up to one week prior to her death.

Maxine enjoyed her life as a wife, mother and grandmother, and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Joe (Ardis) Ramsey, Leonard (Ayme) Ramsey, Dale (Jean) Ramsey, Douglas (Wayva) Ramsey, and Jimmy; sisters Bernice (Frank) Collins and Genevieve (Ernest) Harger; brother-in-laws Don LaFollette and Cliff LaFollette; sister-in-law Helen LaFollette; and nephews Don Ramsey, Carl Ramsey, David LaFollette, Greg LaFollette and Roger LaFollette.

She is survived by her husband, Ron; brother-in-law Clyde LaFollette of LaPorte, IN; sister-in-law, Virginia LaFollette of Michigan City, IN; daughter, Londa Sue Swaim of Osceola; Sons Rande (Julie) LaFollette of Des Moines, and Monte (Garla) LaFollette of Osceola; granddaughter, Michele (Donald) Billington; grandsons, Blake, Tyler, Hunter, Brady, Cole and riley LaFollette; great-grandsons, Zachary Billington, and Guy (Boo) Billington, and Great-great granddaughter Gracie Mathes; and many nieces, nephews and cousins, as well as treasured friends.