Maxine Earhart

MAXINE DORIS McKENZIE EARHART Maxine Doris McKenzie Earhart was born April 28, 1915 in Wayne, Kansas and passed away June 8, 2010 at the Oakmount Nursing and Rehab Center in Humble, Texas. The sixth child of seven children four girls and three boys to Orville A. and Edith Campbell McKenzie, she grew up in a rural community attending a one room schoolhouse for grades one through eight. Her parents were a strong Godly influence in her life as her father was the Superintendent of their Sunday School, and her mother held a state office in the WCTU Womens Christian Temperance Union actively fighting bootleggingalcoholism. Maxine graduated from Kansas State University in Manhattan. Prior to her marriage, she taught Home Economics in several schools including Independence High School, Independence, KS. She married Ralph C. Earhart in 1945, and they have two sons, Ralph C. Earhart, Jr. and Orville A. Earhart. The Earharts lived in Independence, KS, while raising their family. Maxine held the office of Lincoln Elementary School PTA President for several years and did other volunteer work while her sons were in school. She returned to teaching Home Economics in Elk City from 1961 to 1970, and then at Caney High School from 1971 until she retired in 1980 after 35 years of teaching. Maxine was a member of the United Methodist Church in Independence, KS, from her early years of teaching until they moved from Independence. She was active in the womens ministries during this time. In 1972, Ralph and Maxine moved to Caney and attended the Orthodox Presbyterian Church where she was an adult Sunday School teacher and still has many beloved friends. Her husband preceded her in death on May 19, 1986. Many of her former high school students remember her for being one of the first teachers to encourage boys to attend her Home Economics class to learn family life skills such as balancing a checkbook, laundry and light cooking. The fact that 30 years later she still gets Christmas cards and birthday cards from former students speaks to how she was loved and revered. From 1998 to 2008, Maxine lived in Lenexa, KS, with Ralph, Jr. and his wife Kay, deceased. In 2008, she moved to Kingwood, TX, Eden Terrace Retirement Center where she quickly made many friends who respected her wisdom, strong opinions and her love of sports, especially KState athletics. She wore her KState sweatshirt or sweaters every weekend during the football and basketball seasons. She watched all sports and could give you the standings of most teams at any given time. For the last two years, she attended Second Baptist Church in Kingwood, TX, was a member of the Silver Belles, and was loved and respected by those in her class. She is preceded in death by her parents and all siblings. She is survived by her two sons, Ralph, Jr. of Lenexa, KS, and Orville A. of Kingwood, TX, three grandchildren, their spouses and three greatgrandchildren. Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 12, 2010 at the Potts Chapel in Independence, Kansas. Burial will follow in the Mount Hope Cemetery under the direction of the Potts Chapel in Independence, Kansas. Visitation hours will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday, June 11, 2010 with the family receiving friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Potts Chapel in Independence, Kansas.