Maxine F. Williams

Maxine Fern Williams was born on January 12, 1928 to Lester and Iola Schumacher. They lived on a dairy farm between Marengo & Harvard, Illinois. She attended a one-room grade school, having the same teacher for all 8 grades. She was the only one in her class in 7th and 8th grades. She had very few classes of her own and actually helped the teacher teach the other grades. “I guess it didn’t hurt me”, she always said, as she graduated 5th out of 52 students in Harvard High School’s class of 1945. After high school she attended Ellis Business College, studying bookkeeping, shorthand & typing.

Her first job was in an insurance agency, where she was secretary and wrote insurance policies. She also held other jobs before marrying Herbert Kranich in 1952. In 1953 they moved to the Denver area. They had several friends living there and besides, they liked the climate & mountains. After she got settled in Denver she worked as secretary for a prominent attorney for seven years. At that point she had to have an operation, so she quit her job and took about nine months off. When she went back to work, she worked for a temporary employment agency for two years. She really enjoyed working for the various companies and meeting new people. She had a friend that worked for Mountain Bell and he convinced her to change jobs and work for Mountain Bell. She started working for Mountain Bell in 1961 and had almost 25 years with them. She was a secretary for many years, the last four years being promoted to a personnel supervisor.

In 1965 she and Herbert Kranich were divorced and in February 1966 she married Herbert Williams, known as Bill to his family and friends. Bill had two adult sons who gave Maxine and Bill five grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. Maxine and Bill spent many years traveling in their motorhome, camping around the west, and taking summer vacations with their grandchildren. They especially loved to entertain family in their beloved city of Denver, taking them to places like the zoo, the mint, the State Capital, and going to the many great restaurants in the area. Maxine and Bill often travelled to Montana to spend time with their sons and grandchildren. Big Sky Country was a favorite destination. They were happily married for 25 years, taking a Panama Canal cruise for their 25th anniversary in February of 1991. Bill died the following November.

Maxine was lost without him but had a lady friend that lost her husband three months later and they did quite a few things together, including traveling and cruises. Her friend passed away in 2003, and in 2005 she joined the WOWS organization (Widows and Widowers) and participated in various activities. She met Bob Marshall through bowling with the WOWS and they started bowling together in two different leagues. They enjoyed each other’s company and were together for 17 years. They also did quite a bit of travelling and went on cruises together.

Preceding her in death were her husband Bill, her parents Lester and Iola Schumacher, one brother Virgil Schumacher who died in 1957 at the age of 20 in an automobile accident, and a nephew Scott Schumacher who died of cancer in February of 2015 at the age of 41.

Surviving her are two brothers, Gerald (Shirley) Schumacher of Harvard, IL and Donald (Barb) Schumacher of Delavan, WI, two nieces Cindi (Don) Hackman of Harvard, IL; Laura (Brad) Gaylord of Antioch, IL, and one nephew David (Kimberley) Schumacher of Bull Valley, IL. Maxine is also survived by two step-sons, James (Carol) Williams of Helena, MT and Daniel (Raini) Williams of Bandon, OR and grandchildren; Wendy (Bruce) Ewals, Kirk Williams, Phaedra (Randy) Raymond, Kelly Williams, DeLacy Humbert, and Lee Colavito Williams. She also leaves her best friend and companion, Robert Marshall of Arvada, CO. She will be greatly missed by her many relatives and friends.