Maxine Smith (1927-2021)

SMITH, BERGER, TARAVELLA

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 3/14/2021 at 11:30:48

Maxine Louise Kimes Smith, 93 of Cedar Rapids, died at home, Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Private family services will be held. Burial: Cedar Memorial Cemetery. Family and friends are welcome to attend a Vigil Service for Maxine at 4 p.m., on Monday at Teahen Funeral Home. Those not attending the Vigil Service may visit with the family from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Per Covid guidelines, invited attendees are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing.
Maxine is survived by her husband of 53 years, Ronald “Smitty”; daughters, Vicki Berger of Cedar Rapids, Janis Taravella of San Anselmo, CA, and Kim Nelson (Larry Horak) of Marion; step daughters, Karla (Dan) Visser of Pella and Sheila (Michael) Lindman of Des Moines; grandchildren, Jon, Jonah (Kristin), Chris, Serena, Christopher and Summer; step grandchildren, Ashley (Nate), Mitchell and Jimmy; great grandchildren, Korbin, Sixxten, Suska, Anuhea, Kali, Keale, Syler, Alana, Rocky, Judah and Alyssa; many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her beloved granddaughter, Sara Berger; mother in law, Dora Smith; son in law, Don Berger; and step sister Mary Thompson.
Maxine was born on July, 25, 1927 in Marion the daughter of Clarence Leo and Mabel McHenry Kimes. Clarence was a Cedar Rapids policeman who died when Maxine was 3. She and her mother moved to Robins and when Maxine was 5, Mabel married J.L. “Les” Morrison who raised Maxine as his own. She attended Robins Grade School and then graduated from Marion High School on May 19, 1944, at the age of 16. After graduation, she went to work in Washington D.C. in the Identification Division of the F.B.I. In November 1945, after the end of WWII she returned home and began working at Northwestern Bell (NWB) in Cedar Rapids. Maxine worked there until September 1946 when she married Clark Luedeman; they were divorced in 1964. In 1968, she married Ronald L. Smith.
Maxine went back to work at NWB in 1954 and retired from there in November 1982. She was Past President of the Regular Telephone Pioneers and Past President of the Retired Telephone Pioneers. During retirement Maxine worked for the Linn County Election Board and volunteered for Green Square Meals on Wheels. She enjoyed working in her yard and was a long time greeter and member of St. Patrick Catholic Church. Maxine was also a member of Telecom Pioneers, CWA retirees and VFW Auxiliary.
Memorials may be directed to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society or the Cedar Valley Humane Society