Obituary for Maxine Crowell at Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home (2024)

Maxine Crowell, 86, of Beagle, Kansas, passed away August 13, 2024 after a short hospice stay in her own home.

“Mac” as she was called by close family, was born October 18, 1937, near Gainesville, Ozark County, Missouri to John Thomas Chisam and Edgie Mae Chisam (née Smith). She attended rural schools and churches in the Gainesville area, walking to both no matter the weather.

Maxine was one of nine (9) children of John and Edgie. She loved her four brothers and four sisters, but her most favorable comments were reserved for her mom. In Maxine’s opinion Grandma Edgierepresented the epitome of a God-serving and dignified individual.

In her early teenage years, Maxine followed her sisters, Dona and Dean, and moved to Kansas City, Kansas. Maxine’s first job was in a dime store, but soon thereafter, she began working at the Colgate-Palmolive factory. Maxine, a proud union member, worked at Colgate for 20 years, retiring in the mid-1970s.

While living in an apartment in KCK, Maxine was fortunate to have a happenstance meeting with the man who would become her husband, Lee Crowell. After dating for a short time, Lee and Maxine were married on June 25, 1956. They made their initial home in Kansas City. Traveling was in Lee’s blood, so there were many trips to Colorado, but the young couple always returned to Maxine’s Ozark home to visit her family.

Traveling was a happy distraction and Lee and Maxine certainly enjoyed their many trips with her sister, Polly and her spouse, Wayne, but their young family was not yet complete. Their first child, Lori Lynn, joined the family in 1966, and their second daughter Lisa Michelle, joined the family in 1969. There were never two daughters loved more by their mom and dad!!!

Lori and Lisa were now the tagalongs to Lee and Maxine’s life journey. Both hardworking parents, Lee and Maxine continued those vacations. While Maxine was at her core a homebody, she went along. Maxine used to say “no matter where Lee traveled, somehow, all roads went through Colorado.”

While the family started out in Kansas City, rural living was in Lee and Maxine’s future. They bought twenty acres from Maxine’s brother Jim and his wife Wanda. Maxine and Lee built a home just a mile south of Beagle. Many thanks were owed to Uncle Loman, Uncle Joe and Maxine’s brother, Uncle Dale, and others for helping build the house on the hill.

Lee and Maxine raised Lori and Lisa around extended family, spending weekends and holidays aroundaunts, uncles and many cousins. Lori and Lisa were oftentimes with Aunt Dona or Aunt Dean and their kids. Life was made full with family, many times involving a pot of beans being cooked by Uncle Jim.

Maxine was a reader. She enjoyed newspapers and consuming the news and current events. Lee’s reputation was that of an intelligent, self-made man. Both Lee and Maxine wanted their daughters to go to college. Both were proud when Lori and Lisa completed their college degrees.

Lee and Maxine’s life was full, but unfortunately, after a brief illness following early retirement, Lee passed away in 1993. While this was a sad time for Maxine her most treasured gifts were soon to follow.

Lori and Lisa each got married and, after a few years, Maxine became a grandmother. It was her proudest job title ever. It would not a be a stretch to say Maxine loved those seven grandchildren more than anything. Maxine always checked on those grandkids, asking if they were “Okay?”

It was a group effort to keep Maxine in her home until the very end. The family would like to say a special “thank you” to the following: Shawn and Sheryl Palmer for making sure Maxine got where she needed to be and always kept her in cookies; Beverly and Eldon Brown who checked on her daily and gave help whenever needed; Doug and Gara Chisam who watched over her and were ready at a minute’s notice; and Mark Hays who kept her old Buick on the road.

Maxine is survived by her daughter Lori (Tim) Catlin of Ottawa, Kansas; her daughter Lisa (John) Farley of Osawatomie, Kansas; her grandchildren Rylee Catlin, Emma Catlin, Ellie Catlin, Lily Catlin, Sam Farley, Jack Farley, and Annie Farley; her brother, Gene (Linda) Chisam of Gainesville, Missouri; and many in-laws, nieces, nephews and other family throughout Kansas and Missouri.

Memorials are to the St. Jude Children's Hospital and may be sent c/o Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home P.O. Box 430 Osawatomie, KS 66064.