Mary Jane Maxwell

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — Mary Jane Maxwell, an adored mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and great-grandmother, died Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Fayetteville. She was 85.

Mary Jane was born June 3, 1939, in Charleston to James Francis and Thelma Marie Myers Brown. She graduated from Charleston High School in 1957 and attended Columbia College in Columbia. She married her high school sweetheart, James Robert "Bob" Maxwell, in May 1958. Later, the couple moved to Cape Girardeau, where they raised their three children, Sarah, Robbie and Lesli. They had been married 63 years when Bob died Feb. 7, 2022.

Mary Jane was an excellent scratch cook who eschewed short cuts in the kitchen. Ham and beans would simmer for hours on the stove top. She rolled out butter pie crusts by hand and whipped egg whites to create golden meringues for chocolate and lemon pies. Feeding family and friends, whether on a holiday or a weeknight, was one of her deepest expressions of love.

Mary Jane went to work in the bakery at Schnucks when the store opened in 1976 in Cape Girardeau. She forged friendships with customers and co-workers over 30 years before retiring in 2017 at 68. She also volunteered at Southeast Hospital for several years. For many years, she was an avid bridge player.

Mary Jane and Bob moved back home to Charleston after retirement, enjoying 10 years there. She attended First Christian Church, the same congregation her mother, Thelma, had been a member of for decades.

After Bob’s death, Mary Jane left her lifelong home state of Missouri to move to Peachtree City, Georgia, where she was blessed to be surrounded by family members and build new friendships in a vibrant independent living community for seniors. While she embraced her Georgia home, she remained loyal to her Missouri heritage as an unwavering fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs.

In addition to her husband, Mary Jane was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved sister, Louise Castellanos.

Mary Jane is survived by daughter, Sarah Ross (Rob Ross) of Cape Girardeau; son, Rob Maxwell (Gina Maxwell) of Peachtree City; daughter, Lesli Maxwell (Joshua du Lac) of Silver Spring, Maryland; grandchildren, Mary Beth Ross, Tyler Schrama (Ashley Schrama), Madison Blanchard (Pierce Blanchard), Mitchell Maxwell (Sara Norbeck), Miles du Lac and Ellis du Lac; and great-granddaughters, Aurora Schrama, Skye Schrama and Lydia Blanchard.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until the funeral hour at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at First Christian Church in Charleston. The Rev. Joe Mooney, pastor, will officiate.

A family burial will follow at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery near Charleston.

In lieu of flowers, plants and gift items, the family kindly requests memorial contributions be made to Charleston Nutrition Center, 205 W. Commercial St., Charleston, MO 63834.

McMikle Funeral Home of Charleston is in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com.