Funeral services for 91-year-old Maxine Walen, most recently of Mountain Lake, Minnesota, will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, February 19, 2015, at the American Lutheran Church in Windom, Minnesota. The church is located at 906 Prospect Avenue.
Visitation will be at the church the day of the funeral service from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
LaCanne Family Funeral Service of Windom is handling the funeral arrangements.
Maxine Walen passed away on Monday, February 16, 2015.
Maxine Lucille Walen was the daughter of Walter and Mamie (Orsen) Miller. She was born on a farm in Ann Township, Cottonwood County, near Walnut Grove, Minnesota, on October 20, 1923. She was baptized in the Lutheran faith at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove and attended rural school until 1936, when her family moved to Windom. It was there she was confirmed at the Windom Evangelical Lutheran Church. She graduated from Windom Public High School in 1941 and then attended the Minnesota School of Business for five months, studying in the secretarial field.
Following the completion of that training, Maxine began her employment with the Champion Portable Feed Mill Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she worked for two-and-a-half years. Maxine then moved to Washington, D.C., where she was employed by a United States government patent attorney that dealt with confiscated enemy munitions and chemicals during World War II. After the war appointment, she returned to Minneapolis and was employed by Schaeffer, Inc., a refrigeration company as secretary to the president, for eight-and-a-half years.
On June 7, 1953 Maxine was united in marriage to Jerome Walen, at the American Lutheran Church in Windom. This marriage was blessed with one son, Jerrol Bruce.
Her husband, Jerome, or “Jerry,” as he was known, passed away on August 18, 1976.
In 1958, Maxine began employment with the ASCS (Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service) and spent nine years as administrative clerk. She then was employed as Deputy Cottonwood County Treasurer for five years, and following a year’s break, began part-time and finally full-time employment at the Family Service Agency; retiring in 1988 after 16 years.
Maxine also worked part-time for many offices in the Cottonwood County Courthouse including County Attorney, County Auditor and Assessors Office, as well as for the Superintendent of Schools for Windom Public School, completing a total of 43 years of employment upon her retirement.
Since then, she was a volunteer under the RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) and when called upon, helped out at the Cottonwood Soil and Water Conservation District, public school, Cottonwood County Extension office, Windom Area Chamber of Commerce office, Family Service Agency and her church.
Maxine’s other activities included reading, knitting and traveling, having had the opportunity to see much of God’s marvelous creation. Making up albums and scrapbooks of her many trips, as well as sharing this interest in preserving family, church and doing books for anyone who asked, illustrating them to tell a story was of special fun for her. Maxine was active in her church, the American Lutheran Church of Windom, serving in many capacities, from Luther League advisors in their early marriage, Sunday School teacher, member of the Ladies Chorus, offices in the Ladies ALCW and Circle, such as Education Secretary and offices on the Church Board, namely, Stewardship, Board of Deacons, and Board of Trustees.
Maxine was also a member and officer of Wa-tan-ye Club.
Her greatest joy was centered around her family and church and sharing her many blessings with others to further the work of her Lord.
She was most recently a resident of Good Samaritan Society of Mountain Lake-The Village in Mountain Lake.
Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law, Jerrol “Jerry” and Lana of Hugo, Minneosta; two grandsons, Tanner Jerome Walen (Anna Steck) and Zachary Francis Walen (Annie Nielsen); brother-in-law, Fred Johnson of Blaine, Minnesota and nieces and nephews and friends.
Maxine was preceded in death by her husband; parents; one brother, Donald Miller and one sister, Beverly Johnson.