Maxine Redding

MAXINE REDDING

Maxine Redding, age 84, of Keokuk, Iowa, formerly of Wyaconda, MO, died unexpectedly on Friday, April 10, 2009, at Lexington Square in Keokuk, IA.

She was born August 17, 1924, at Keokuk, the youngest of eighteen children born to William and Rose Stice Pruett.

Maxine attended schools in Clark County and later Scotland County, graduating from Memphis High School in 1942 and later received her teaching certificate. She taught a year at Walnut Grove school near Downing and it was there that she met Robert Otis Redding who attracted her attention while walking home from school one day. His excuse was that he was hunting for rabbits when in fact he was taking a look at the new school marm. The attraction was mutual. After their engagement, Maxine worked at a bank in Kirksville and lived and assisted her sister, June, who ran a hotel/boarding house. On December 25, 1943, she and Robert were married in Memphis. They resided briefly in Kirksville until Robert's induction into the Army in February 1944 at which time she moved home with her parents with the exception of eight weeks spent near Fort Bliss, Texas. From that time on she became a life-long "domestic engineer".

She is survived by six sons: David and his wife, Sandra, of Wyaconda, William and his wife, Rae Joann, of Molville, IA, John and his wife, Linda, of Wyaconda, Jerry and his wife, Julia, of Kahoka, Sam and his wife, Teri, of Kahoka, and Tim and his wife, Kaye, of Kahoka; five daughters: Kay Redding-Andrews of Jefferson City, MO, Deborah Malone and her husband, Pat, of Kahoka, Rebecca Moore and her husband, Harold, of Columbia, Elizabeth Redding of Fort Madison, and, Martha Ellefritz and her husband, Randy, of Keokuk; a daughter-in-law, Susan Redding of Kahoka; one brother, Albert Pruett of Rochester, MN; two sisters-in-law, Wilma Smoot and Maxine Atkinson, both of Downing, MO; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; several great-great grandchildren; as well as other relatives.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two sons, Keith Redding and an infant son; and sixteen brothers and sisters.

Maxine was a member of the Wyaconda Baptist Church. She loved to crochet, read and watch hummingbirds.

Funeral services were held Monday, April 13, 2009, at 2 p.m. at Wilson Funeral Home in Kahoka with Rev. Ernest Deatrick officiating. Burial was in Fairmont Cemetery.

Memorials were suggested to the American Cancer Society or the Fairmont Cemetery.