Mary Maxine Baxley, 99, of Urbana passed away on Monday, March 24, 2014, in her home at 510 W. Main with her son Norman, daughter-in-law Carolyn, and daughter Judy by her side.

Maxine was born November 7, 1914, in Parsons, KS, to Clyde and Mary Getter. Her parents, her brother Vernon, and her sister Geraldine preceded her in death. She was one of only two surviving members of the Parsons High School class of 1932.

She married Roy Carl Baxley, a brakeman for the Missouri Kansas and Texas Railroad, in 1934 and he died in 1979. They had three children who survive: Charles David Baxley(Shirley) of Russellville, AR; Judy Ann May of Houston, TX; and Norman Eugene Baxley (Carolyn) of Urbana. Maxine had eight grandchildren: Vicki, Terri, Stephen, Stephanie, Brian, Jeff, Ben, and Casey; twelve great grandchildren: Jennifer, Sarah, Josh, Jeremy, Carson, Mayce, Courtney, Joe, William, Ne'ann, Ryan, and Fox; and four great great grandchildren: Hannah, Landon, Peyton, and Molly.

Maxine worked during the Korean War in the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant and also worked for 21 years as an associate at J.C. Penny to help put Judy and Norman through college. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Parsons and the Eastern Star. She enjoyed cooking for her family, knitting, reading, playing cards—especially gin rummy, cheering for the Cubs and the Illini, and going dancing with Roy.

The most important thing in Maxine's life was her family, and her fondest memories were made on weekends with her husband and children in a cabin on the Neosho River. She could roast a rabbit and fry fish better than anyone! When her husband Roy died, her entire family gathered in Parsons for the first of 31 annual summer family reunions in Arkansas, Illinois, Florida, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, and Colorado. She loved being in the center of the chaos and laughter that inevitably ensued when big families get together, and she looked forward to those reunions with great anticipation.

Maxine moved from Parsons to Urbana in 1996 to be near her son Norman and family and enjoyed several years of friendship and good times with her close friends the "Ding Dongs": Marjorie Snodgrass, Martha Bussert, Rena Horne, Opal Albin, and Claude and Catherine Dunn. Maxine moved into her son's home in 2007 and enjoyed being a part of all the neighborhood events through the years.

Her whole family will gather in Parsons in June to inter her ashes beside Roy at a family graveside service . Friends and family who want to honor her memory may make a memorial gift to a deserving charity of their choosing.