Barbara Jean Maxwell

Born September 14, 1929 at Atlanta, Illinois, the daughter of Cecil Valisco Kitchell and Nellie Fern (Ackason) Kitchell, she married Eldon Brown Maxwell on May 27, 1951 at Grace United Methodist Church in Pekin.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Eldon; one son, Joel Maxwell; one sister Cecilia Ash and two brothers Gary Kitchell and Charles Kitchell.

Surviving are one daughter, Lisa Ann Dean, one son, Alan Christopher Maxwell, six grandchildren, Sarah Bayles, Kelsey Kelly, Alan Dean, Brittany Maxwell, Brett Maxwell and Valerie Maxwell and five great-grandchildren, Ephraim Bayles, Claire Kelly, Owen Kelly, Sienna Maxwell and Rylo Miller.

After graduating from Pekin Community High School in 1946, she worked for Kriegsman Transport in Pekin until moving to Longview, Texas where she was a secretary at LeTourneau. She later lived in both New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Following her husband’s death on March 23, 1972, Mrs. Maxwell returned with her three children to Pekin. She was a secretary 21 years at Greene Farm Management in Peoria before retiring in 1995.

In Longview, TX she was a member of the First United Methodist Church, a member of the choir, and a member of the Jaycee-ettes through the Junior Chamber of Commerce. In 1957, while a member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority, she became a member of the Longview Ground Observer Corp which was part of the U.S. Air Force Civil Defense.

Barbara was a Camp Fire Girl leader and Cub Scout leader. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Pekin, a member of the choir and in 1996 she served on the City of Pekin’s Human Relations Commission. She joined the Morton Community Chorus during the holidays for 11 years to sing the Messiah by Handel.

An avid reader, she volunteered to help teach adults to read through the Pekin Library’s Literacy Program. She also loved to quilt and was a member of three area quilt groups.

Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, September 2, 2023 at First United Methodist Church in Pekin. Pastor Patty Johansen will officiate. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday evening at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin. Additional visitation will be from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Saturday morning at the church. Burial will be at Glendale Memorial Gardens in Pekin.

Memorial contributions may be given to First United Methodist Church, 1315 Court Street, Pekin, Illinois 61554.

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com