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Lois “Maxine” Rathjen, age 88 of Fort Calhoun, passed away Aug. 31, 2022, in Blair. Lois Maxine Woodring Rathjen was born to Allie Brice and Lois Ethel Salmon Woodring on Jan. 17, 1934, in Crofton. She was the fifth in a family of six children. Before she was three years old, her family moved to Blair and her dad became a member of the Blair City Police Department.

Maxine had entertaining stories about growing up on Grant Street and all the escapades of the neighborhood kids. She was proud of being a Girl Scout Brownie and still carried her official membership card. As a teenager, she had a “hair route,” bobby pinning several neighbor ladies' hair. Maxine also worked the candy counter at the Home Theatre. A Saturday night drive with friends and a stop at the Fort Calhoun Conoco gas station was a turning point in her life. There she met Jack Rathjen, later eloping on Aug. 13, 1951, and honeymooning in Okoboji, Iowa. The couple recently observed their 71st wedding anniversary.

Two children were born to this union: daughter, Lois and son, Bill. When Bill was in high school, Maxine became a cook at the Fort Calhoun elementary school cafeteria and later at the high school cafeteria. She worked for fifteen years and cherished the staff and students. Every year, she anticipated baking Thanksgiving turkeys in the early morning hours. In retirement, she and Jack put many miles on their Buick traveling to grandchildren's sporting events. Yearly highlights include driving to Okoboji, the Iowa State Fair, the annual Steam Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island.

When traveling was no longer possible, Maxine loved watching golf on TV. Maxine was the last survivor of her immediate family of five siblings, their spouses, and ten of her nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by: parents, Allie Brice and Lois Ethel Woodring, sisters, Mildred (John) Swingholm, Helen (Darrel) Kriens, Marlene (Maurice) White, brothers, Arnold (Kaye) Woodring, Brice Jr. (June) Woodring, nieces, Julie Joons, Jackie Stewart, Barbara Hopfenzitz, Donna Gardener, Gayle Robertson, Jo Booth, nephews, Robert Richter, John Swingholm and Steve White.

Survived by: husband, John “Jack” Rathjen, Fort Calhoun, daughter, Lois (Norlan) Rasmussen, Audubon, Iowa, son, Bill (Glenda) Rathjen, Fort Calhoun, grandchildren, Leslie (Chad) Gorman, Stephanie (Jacob) Anderson, Anna (John) Strohm and James Rathjen, great-grandchildren, Jack, Tyce, Maddox, Luke, Abigail, John, Kade and Sophie, nieces, Marcia Devore, Gloria Drummond, nephews, Dave (Connie) Woodring, Don (Linda) Woodring, Duane (Shelly) Woodring, Mary (Ned) Miller and Jerry Uehling.

Funeral services, private family.

Inurnment at Fort Calhoun Cemetery.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #243384873