Alice Ann (O’Neal) Maxwell passed away peacefully, Monday, July 22, 2024, at Mercy Springfield Hospital after a short illness. She was born on November 16, 1938, in Weir, KS to Clyde Louis O’Neal and Jessie May (Allred) O’Neal. Alice grew up in Weir & attended Weir schools, graduating from Weir High School in 1956. Alice went to work for McNally Manufacturing out of high school & worked for them until their closure in 1990, with a short break in the 70’ s when she had her daughter. She was the secretary for the Vice-President of Sales at their closure & had dedicated 28 ½ years of service to their company. When her daughter graduated from high school, she moved to Topeka. While in Topeka she worked for the Kansas Legislature, Kansas Board of Education, retiring from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation in 2002. While in Topeka, Alice also worked for Wal-Mart as a second job, and she continued to work for them when she moved back to Pittsburg in 2002. She retired from Wal-Mart in 2020 after 27 ½ years of service as a cashier. Alice learned cake decorating to make a birthday cake for her daughter’s 5th birthday & due to her talent, built a very successful second income baking cakes for her friends & relatives. Her beautiful cakes were part of so many family celebrations, gatherings & weddings. She loved to bake and made many friends through her second business, that helped her raise her daughter by herself. Alice never shied away from hard work. She was very active in the Weir Alumni Association and acted as secretary for their group, sending invitations & helping to plan their reunions. She was also a member and secretary for the McPitt club at McNally’s and help with their family parties and holiday parties. Her faith was very important to her and she was very steadfast in her faith. Alice was secretary for her church, Weir Baptist, as well as secretary for the local Southern Baptist convention group. During her illness, she could talk only of going to see Jesus. She met Hearl Junior Maxwell during her years at McNally’s and they shared a daughter, Emily Marenda (Mindi), whom she raised from age 3 on her own. Alice is survived by her daughter, Marenda and her spouse, Brian; Pittsburg. Additionalsurvivors include her grandchildren (two of whom she helped raise), Brendan Maxwell, Pittsburg; Brianna Whetzell, (Troy), Bixby, OK; AJ and Declan Ortiz, Pittsburg. She was so very proud of them and attended every activity they participated in through their school years. She was also very proud of her great-grandchildren, Amelia, Oliver & Kayne. Alice is also survived by her siblings, Mary Jordan, Chanute; Patrick O’Neal, Neodesha; George (Thelma) O’Neal, Parsons & Peggy (Gary) Hunt, Arma. Alice was preceded in death by her parents, sister in law Roberta O’Neal and brother in law Jerry Jordan.
Funeral Services will be 10:00am Monday July 29, 2024 at the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home in Pittsburg, KS with Pastor Duane Elmore officiating. Burial will follow at the Crocker Cemetery in Pittsburg, KS. Family will receive friends from 6-7:00pm Sunday, July 28, 2024 at the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home in Pittsburg, KS; friends may call after 2:00pm Sunday. In lieu of flowers the family asks expressions of sympathy to be in the form of memorials to SEK Animal Advocates. Friends may drop off or mail memorials to Bath-Naylor Funeral Home 522 S. Broadway Pittsburg, KS 66762. Condolences may be left at www.bathnaylor.com. Arrangements and services are under the direction of Bath-Naylor Funeral Home Pittsburg, KS.
