Justin K Maxey

He was born June 29, 1921 in Pekin to Roscoe Earl and Lillian (King) Maxey at Pekin Public Hospital. He married Dorothy Fredell on August 16, 1941 in St. Paul, Minnesota. She died November 19, 1979.

Surviving are one brother, William Earl Maxey of Peoria; one nephew, Dr. James W. (Kathleen) Maxey of Dunlap; one niece Susan (Alan) Maxey Reid of Naperville; and four great nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his friend, Gordon (Kris) Hunter of Oswego.

He graduated Pekin Community High School on June 6, 1939. He later enlisted in the United States Navy on May 1, 1944. He served in NTS Great Lakes, Illinois, PTB Little Creek, Virginia and on board the USS LSM 180 in the Philippines and Japan. He was honorably discharged as Boatswain’s Mate Second Class January 11, 1946.

Chub built his home in 1946 on Willow Street in Pekin and resided there until April 2012.

Along with Julian “Duke” Botello, he co-owned and operated the Botello & Maxey Service station at 5th and Caroline in Pekin from 1952 until 1987. Following his retirement, he worked as a custodian for the City of Pekin for nearly a decade. He previously had worked as a welder for Murphy & Walsh in Pekin and St. Paul Hydraulic Hoist. He also worked as a bookkeeper for Babcock Wilcox, which is a company that built boilers in power plants. As a younger man, he had been a boiler helper during the first part of the war.

He was a lifetime member of Grace United Methodist Church in Pekin, where he was a member of the United Methodist Men. He was a longtime usher at the first service and loved ushering at Christmas Eve services.

He was a 49 year member of the Empire Lodge #126, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of Illinois in Pekin. He also had been a member of the Mohammed Temple Shrine, where was a member of the Legion of Honor and in 1976, served as commander. He was a former member of the Scottish Rite Bodies, Valley of Peoria.

His funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Grace United Methodist Church in Pekin. Rev. Gary L. Ford will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral at the church. Burial will be in Lakeside Cemetery in Pekin, with military rites accorded. Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin is assisting the family with arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be given to Grace United Methodist Church Growing God’s Grace Fund at 503 N. 4th St. Pekin, IL 61554 or to OSF St. Clare Home at 5533 N. Galena Rd. Peoria, Heights, IL 61616.

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