Maxine D. Barbee, Grace Village Retirement Community, Winona Lake, passed away at 7 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, at Grace Village Health Care, Winona Lake, at the age of 90.
She was born Aug. 5, 1927, in Batavia, Mich., to Fern Irene Smead Parker and George Dillon. On Aug. 18, 1956, she was married to Glenn L. Barbee, who preceded her in death in February 1986.
Maxine graduated from high school in Coldwater, Mich., in 1945, and continued her education for two years at Houghton College in New York. She also attended Marion College in Indiana and graduated in 1955 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, and received her master’s degree in 1970 from Indiana University.
She spent a lifetime teaching hundreds of children during her teaching career. Maxine was a kindergarten teacher at La Porte Community Schools until 1987, and retired in 1999 from Grace Baptist Christian School, Plymouth.
She was a resident of Kosciusko County since 2008. She attended Community Grace Brethren Church, Warsaw, and was a member of the Winona Literary Club.
She will be dearly missed by her former students, friends and her beloved family.
She will be lovingly remembered by her daughter, Aimee (husband Gary) Nifong, Warsaw; and her granddaughter, Emily Nifong, Warsaw.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Duane Dillon; and her stepbrother, Dale Parker.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw.
Her funeral service will be at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, at Community Grace Brethren Church, 909 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, and officiated by Pastor Roy Chapin.
A private graveside service will take place at Door Village Cemetery, La Porte.
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Memorials to Warsaw Christian School, 909 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, IN 46580.
Condolences may be sent at www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com.
