Birdie Mae Maxson

Birdie Mae Maxson, 69, passed away early Tuesday, April 28, 2020 at her home in Americus.           She was born April 22, 1951 in rural Gridley, Kansas the daughter of Ernest F. and Blanche E. VanArsdale Crane. Birdie attended Eureka High School and graduated with the Class of 1969. She attended Beautician School in Wichita following high school. Birdie married the love of her life, Gerald R. Maxson on June 2, 1972 at the Eureka Lutheran Church. Birdie and Jerry lived briefly in Eureka, Kansas, Emporia and Washington State before settling down in Hamilton for 27 years. They would spent the last seventeen years in Americus, Kansas. She had worked at I.B.P. and Tyson for over thirty years prior to taking a position as the second shift cook at Newman Regional Health. Birdie officially retired in 2013. Birdie and Jerry attended the Westside Baptist Church in Emporia. She will live on in the hearts of her devoted husband, Gerald of their home in Americus; a daughter, Eugenea Dannels of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; sons, Trampas Maxson and his wife Trish of rural Augusta, Kansas and Heath Maxson and his wife Lori of Americus; step sons, Jeremy Maxson of Seattle, Washington and Shane Marx and his wife Chelsea of Vashion Island, Washington; sisters, Edna Benson of Pualip, Washington, Betty JoAnn McKensey of Americus and Dorinda Snyder of Lebo, Kansas; brothers, Floyd Crane of Virgil, Kansas, Ronnie Crane of Americus, Kansas, Leonard Crane of Claremont, Oklahoma and Lyle Crane of Stockton, Missouri; sixteen grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren; Her mother Blanche Crane of Virgil, Kansas. Birdie was preceded in death by her father, Ernest Crane. Birdie’s wishes were to be cremated and that memorial contributions be made to the Shriner’s Hospitals or the Susan G. Komen Cancer Foundation and sent in care of the Jones VanArsdale Funeral Home, P.O. Box #43, Lebo, Kansas 66856. Condolences may be expressed at vanarsdalefs.com.