Maxine E Melroy

Celebration of Life Service for Maxine E. Melroy will be held on Thursday, October 17, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska with Chaplain Kathy Doiel and Mr. Brad Perry officiating.  Interment will be held at the Prairie Home Cemetery in Holdrege following the services.

Maxine Elizabeth Melroy, 99 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on Thursday, October 10, 2019 at Holdrege Memorial Homes.  Maxine was born September 14, 1920, in Orchard, Nebraska, and was adopted from the Nebraska Children's Home in Omaha, Nebraska to Carl E. and Nella M. (Kaminkey) Pelander at three months of age.  Maxine's grandparents:  Gust and Annie Pelander were influential in her life, and helped raise her from the time she was nine years of age.

Maxine received her education from Holdrege Public Schools, and graduated from Holdrege High School with the class of 1938.  Following her education, Maxine was united in marriage to Willard Dempsey Melroy on October 17, 1942, and to this union five sons were born:  Kenneth, James, Rodney, Michael, and Dennis.  The family made their home in Holdrege, where Maxine focused her efforts tending to the needs of her family when the boys were young.  She also worked in the kitchen of various restaurants around Holdrege, with fond memories of her time at the Cozy Inn Café where she was employed for seven years.  She then began a long career in dietary at Methodist Memorial Homes and Phelps Memorial Health Center until her retirement in 1987.  In 1994, Maxine was reunited with her birth family, including her twin brother, Leo, which filled her heart with joy!

Maxine was a 65 year member of the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege; and in her retirement years she enjoyed volunteering at Holdrege Memorial Homes and Christian Homes Care Community.  She also enjoyed gardening, traveling, and had a love for animals, especially her latest dog, Sophie.  Above all, she loved following her grandchildren and great-grandchildren in their activities. She had a fondness for wrestling, where she watched five generations of her family compete.

Besides her parents; Maxine was preceded in death by her husband, Willard on November 17, 1979; three of her sons:  Kenneth, James, and Rodney; granddaughter, Ann Scott; grandson, Willard Dean Melroy; two brothers:  Earl Pelander, and her twin brother, Leo Black and his wife, Stella; and half-sister, Edith Clark.

Maxine leaves to celebrate her life; her two sons:  Mike Melroy and his wife, Dana of Morgantown, West Virginia, and Dennis Melroy and his wife, Jane of Pratt, Kansas; daughter-in-law, Marge Melroy of Holdrege; 13 grandchildren: 17 great-grandchildren; and 3 great-great-grandchildren; a half-sister, Verna Woodrum of Mt. Vernon, Washington; sister-in-law, Alice Pelander of Omaha, Nebraska; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 16, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Maxine's honor, and kindly suggested to the family for later designation.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.