Maxine Menefee, 80, passed away at her home in El Dorado Springs on May 10, 2010. She was born in Urbana on May 22, 1929, to George and Edna Riley.
Maxine lived most of her youth in Hickory County on a farm between Wheatland and Hermitage. She attended school in both Wheatland and Hermitage and graduated from Wheatland High School in 1947.
She was united in marriage to Leo Rife on March 28, 1948. To that union were born two sons and a daughter. Leo passed away in 1958 and in 1961 she married Lowell Menefee, a widower with three sons. They had been married for nearly 49 years at the time of her passing.
As a teenager, Maxine loved living on the farm and especially loved riding and occasionally racing horses with her friends.
During her life, she worked as a secretary, a nurses aid, a pre-school owner/administrator/teacher and, for nearly 35 years,
she operated a home daycare. She loved children and kept in touch with several daycare families for years after the children had moved on to school and other activities. In 1983 she received an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Development from Kansas City, KS, Junior College.
Maxine loved life and enjoyed many hobbies; among them were flower gardening, remodeling and decorating her home, cooking and trying new recipes and, in the last few years, knitting. She always had projects going and was always trying new things.
Maxine was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers - Harold, George and Jim.
She is survived by her husband, Lowell, of the home; six children - Dwight and Brenda Menefee – Wheatland, Dale and Debbie Menefee - Harrison, AR, David and Barbara Menefee - Hot Springs, AR, Pam and Paul Dodsworth - Monument, CO, Dennis and Debra Menefee – Granby, and Dan and Denise Menefee - Rapid City, SD; 15 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Dolly Riley; and a host of family and friends. She will be greatly missed by all.
During the final weeks of her life, she testified of her love for her Lord and, while we miss her presence, she is enjoying the life she lived and prepared for. We look toward a future reunion when we will all be with our Lord.
The family will receive friends from 6-7 p.m. Thursday, May 13, at Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home. Services will begin at 2 p.m. Friday, May 14, at the El Dorado Springs Church of God (Holiness) with Rev. Joe Trussell officiating. Interment will follow in El Dorado Springs City Cemetery under the direction of Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to El Dorado Springs Church of God (Holiness) Children’s Ministries.
