Maxwell, Florence Jones 1925-2011

MAXWELL, JONES, TERPSTRA, BRATEK, BETHEL

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 3/27/2013 at 09:44:59

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; April 14, 2011

FLORENCE MAXWELL

Florence Maxwell, 85, of North Oaks, Minn., and formerly of Grinnell, died Sunday, April 10, 2011, at the Waverly Gardens Presbyterian Care Center in North Oaks.

A funeral service will be held at 12 noon on Thursday, April 14, at the United Church of Christ-Congregational in Grinnell with Rev. Nancy Anderson officiating. Music will be provided by Bill Tinker, organist, and Randye Jones, vocalist. Casket bearers will be her grandchildren. Interment will be at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell.

Memorials may be directed to the Mayo Clinic and sent in care of the Smith Funeral Home, P.O. Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112.

Florence was born Dec. 16, 1925, the daughter of Fred and Josephine Jones. She was raised in Tama and later moved to Grinnell with her parents, where she graduated with the Class of 1944 from Grinnell High School. She attended Lindenwood Women's College in St. Charles, Mo., for two years, then transferred to Drake University where she earned her BA in elementary education. While a Drake student, Florence pledged Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority, was a Drake Queen and met her future husband, James Maxwell, who was also a Drake graduate.

Florence and James were married on Nov. 25, 1950. During their 60 years of marriage they lived in Park Ridge, Ill., Ridgewood, N.J., Barrington, Ill., North Oaks, Minn., Hilton Head, S.C., and Grinnell. Florence taught kindergarten in her early married years, and after the birth of her daughters, Karen and Cathy, became the quintessential hostess, community volunteer and super-mom.

She was initiated into PEO, Chapter BM, in Grinnell in 1947, and later helped organize PEO Chapter V in Hilton Head, Island, S.C. She was a member of church choirs at both House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minn., and First Presbyterian Church in Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Florence and James moved back to Grinnell after 20 years in Hilton Head in order to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren in the Midwest. Here she became involved in local bridge clubs, as well as Levart Club and Pi Rho Lamda.

Florence is survived by her husband, James; her daughters Karen Terpstra of Eau Claire, Wisc. and Cathy Bratek of Apple valley, Minn.; four grandchildren; one sister, Esther Bethel of Grinnell; one brother, Addison Jones of Grinnell; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents.