HARVEY, Maxine Isabell (DUFF) PARSONS

DUFF, PARSONS, HARVEY, DEVAULT, SIGNS, PAYNE, TEDFORD, PARISHO, PALMER, ALEXANDER, JACKSON

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 4/24/2015 at 08:23:55

Obituary ~ Maxine Isabell (Duff) Parsons Harvey
January 29, 1931 - March 20, 2015

Leon Journal-Reporter
Leon, Decatur County, Iowa
Thursday, March 26, 2015

Maxine Isabell (Duff) Parsons Harvey, age 84, of Leon, IA, the daughter of Earl Robert and Reva Helen (DeVault) Duff, was born January 29, 1931, in Union County, IA. She passed away due to complications from a stroke at the Decatur County Hospital in Leon, IA on Friday, March 20, 2015.

Maxine grew up at Arispe, IA. When she was in sixth grade, the family moved to Van Wert, IA. As a child she enjoyed spending time with her Aunt Harriet helping at the gas station. After graduation from Leon High School in 1949, she started working at Hyde Grocery Store in Leon. Carl Richard Parsons shopped there daily just for a chance to see Maxine. They were married on November 1, 1951. They lived in his very small, four-room home, which was filled full with his daily grocery purchases, seven miles east of Leon. Later they moved to another farm down the road where the family lived until 1975. They were blessed with three children, Jack, Jerry, and Ruth Ann.

Maxine was a wife, mother, and farm hand, helping Carl whenever she could. From 1965 until 1972, Maxine worked at O'Bryan Brothers Sewing Factory. In the fall of 1973, she started working at Central Decatur Community Schools. She retired in the spring of 1995, after working 22 years as a cook. She then volunteered and worked with kindergarten children and substituted in the kitchen for the high school and Head Start. Her passion was to quilt; she taught many quilting classes. She was well-known to serve her famous beef and homemade noodles at all potlucks and family gatherings.

Maxine had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and was baptized at Leon Brethren Church. Carl and Maxine were charter members of the Leon Bible Church. She served the Lord by teaching Sunday School and Bible School, cooking at Freedom Bible Camp, and holding the offices of Missionary president, secretary, and treasurer. She also worked at the Rio Grande Bible Institute in Texas, sewing quilts. She donated her time and her talents freely.

After Carl's death on November 20, 2001, Maxine started seeing a Corydon church friend, Wallace Ardin Harvey. On March 19, 2006, they were married. They lived on his farm in Wayne County, southeast of Humeston. She enjoyed helping him with the farm and livestock. He had a large family and she loved being a part of it, too. She and Wallace enjoyed traveling and wintering in Texas. Unfortunately, Wallace's life was taken suddenly in a four-wheeler accident on May 25, 2012.

Preceding Maxine in death were her parents; husbands, Carl Parsons and Wallace Harvey; infant great-grandson, Bodey Signs; and brothers, Robert Duff and Carl Duff. Survivors include her children, Jack (Judy) Parsons, Jerry (Tracey) Parsons, all of Leon, and Ruth Ann (Ed) Signs of Des Moines, IA; grandchildren, Jill (Joshua) Payne of Pella, IA, Jared (Laura) Parsons of Kansas City, MO, Jeremy (Kelsi) Parsons of Spencer, IA, Sara (Reece) Tedford of Leon, Marty Signs and Shannon Parisho of Winterset, IA, and Sheena Signs of Des Moines, IA; great grandchildren, Elsie and Noah Payne, Creighton and Silas Parsons, Blake and Trae Tedford, and Riley Wood; Wallace's children, Curtis (Kathy) Harvey of Corydon, IA, Wanette (Calvin) Palmer of Corydon, IA, Lyle (Karmen) Harvey of Fairfield, IA, Deleta (Paul) Alexander of Promise City, IA; his 12 grandchildren; and his 16 great-grandchildren; brothers, Hubert Duff of Van Wert, IA, Leland Duff of Stringtown, OK; Melvin Duff and wife Sharon of Earling, IA; sister, Darlene Jackson and husband Junior of Grand River, IA; and other relatives and many friends.

Memorial services were conducted 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at Leon Bible Church, officiated By Pastor Clegguart Mitchell. Interment will be made at Leon Cemetery, Leon, Iowa.

Slade - O'Donnell Funeral Home of Leon was in charge of arrangements.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, April of 2015

Decatur Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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