HAMILTON COUNTY – Winston Franz “Bill” Maxwell, 90, passed away on Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at his home.
He was born April 19, 1932 in Belleville, IL the son of Edmond and Pearl Maurice (Rauschkolb) Maxwell. He was raised near the Black River in rural Williamsville, Missouri by his paternal grandparents, Leroy and Josephine (Manns) Maxwell. He loved to hunt and fish as a boy, but feeling the need to make his own way he went to work at a shoe factory in St. Louis the summer before his final year of high school. He quickly realized that he was spending all of his hard-earned money on lodging, eating out and having to pay to have his laundry done. He decided to move back to his grandparent’s home to finish high school where he didn’t have to pay rent, he got to enjoy his grandmother’s home cooking, and she did his laundry for free.
After graduation he went to work at McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft in St. Louis, Missouri and was drafted into the Army. He was stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana where he met Nancy Slatten at a USO dance. They were married 68 years and had four children. While employed by McDonnell-Douglas, Bill moved his family to Cape Canaveral, Florida to work on the Gemini space craft project. They returned to St. Louis where Bill continued to work at McDonnell-Douglas until his retirement in 1990. He and Nancy moved to their farm in rural Hamilton County where Bill enjoyed his retirement years raising race horses, cattle and chickens, “junking” scrap metal and salvaging cars, gardening, watching the St. Louis Cardinals and old westerns, going to auctions, caring for his wife Nancy, and spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Bill was an active member of the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Macedonia Lodge #1128 AF & AM, and Macedonia Star #1028 Order of the Eastern Star in Macedonia, Illinois.
Bill was a kind, fun loving soul who loved to entertain anyone who would listen to his tales and lyrical jokes. He was a devoted man of God, who continually sought ways to serve his brother in Christ. He was an avid Cardinals fan who always knew the latest and greatest of statistics.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Nancy, brother Clark Maxwell, and sister Jean Whorton. He leaves to mourn his passing his two sons Mark (Trish) Maxwell, John “Chris” (Glenna) Maxwell; two daughters Donna (Mike) Stammer and Carol (John) Blood. Grandchildren Nick (Kristin) Aubuchon, Amanda (Ned) Dolan, Brian (Kristi) Blood, Laura (Clay) Deschler, Natalie (Brandon) Smith, Zachary (Beth) Maxwell, Adam Maxwell, Adrianna Maxwell, and Maddi Jo Maxwell. Great-grandchildren Caden, Beckett, and Blair Aubuchon, Adalyn, Easton, Landon, and Kinsley Dolan, Reagan, Brooke, and Audrey Deschler, Katie, Abbi, and Lincoln Smith, Kalina, Tyler, and Hudson Maxwell.
Visitation will be held from 12 to 2 p.m. and the funeral service will begin at 2 p.m., Sunday, April 16, 2023 at Harre Funeral Home with interment at the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery near Macedonia, Illinois. Pastor Gale Lowery will officiate the services.