Mervyn O. Maxson

     Mervyn Orville Maxson passed away on August 28, 2023, at 90 years of age. He never met a stranger in his life and his kindness, easy conversation, and sly sense of humor will be long remembered.

     Mervyn was born on February 18, 1933, in Coldwater, MI to parents Orville and Evelyn Maxson, the oldest of three children. He met his high school sweetheart, Kathleen Bronson, on the school bus; they married in June 1954.

     Mervyn studied civil engineering at Missouri State University. Upon graduation, he served two years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; first teaching surveying at Fort Belvoir, VA, then transferring to Fort Myer, VA, where he was assigned to lay out Arlington National Cemetery.  After his discharge in November 1956, Mervyn moved to Detroit, MI to work for a natural gas company. His daughter Deidre was born in Detroit two years later. Over his 38 years in the natural gas business, his job took him to Grand Rapids, MI, Muncie, IN, and Waukesha, WI. After Mervyn retired in 1995, he and Kathleen split their time between the sunny Rio Grande Valley and Sturgeon Bay, WI. Together they enjoyed travel, birding, gardening, square dancing, family history, and activities with First Presbyterian Church in McAllen, TX and the Sturgeon Bay Moravian Church. In his later years, Mervyn loved hiking at Potawatomi State Park, Sudoku, and long walks in his community.

     Mervyn was preceded in death by his beloved daughter Deidre Maxson Wells. He is survived by his dear wife of 69 years, Kathleen Maxson, his siblings Job (Charlotte) Maxson, Julia (Ed) Hissong, son-in-law David (Sue) Wells, grandchildren Rachel (Dan) Johnson, Jonathan (Meg) Wells, Jeremy Wells, and Micaela Wells, great-grandchildren Fiona Johnson and Bo Johnson, and the rest of his extended family.

     A memorial service in Mervyn’s honor will be held at 1pm on Saturday September 30 at the Theis-Gorski Funeral Home, 3521 N Pulaski Rd, Chicago IL, 60641.

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