Obituary of Mary Ellen Maxwell

Parkston – Mary Ellen Maxwell, 79, went to her heavenly home Saturday, August 10, 2024 at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls.  Memorial mass will be Friday, September 27 at 10:30 am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Parkston.  Visitation will be Thursday, September 26 from 5 to7 pm, with a prayer service at 7:00 pm, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Parkston.  Arrangements by Koehn Bros. Funeral Home in Parkston

Mary was born Dec. 22, 1944 at St. Benedict’s Hospital in Parkston SD to Robert and Marge (Hafner) Maxwell. She was the first-born in her family and was later joined by two brothers, Bruce and Tom. She inherited her Mother’s pragmatism and her Father’s wit. Hers was a happy childhood growing up in mid-century America where her world was defined by a gang of friends, Nancy Drew books, paper dolls and boxes of dress- up clothes, all within the borders of small-town Parkston, SD. She attended and graduated from Sacred Heart Grade School as well as Parkston High School with the Class of 1962 where she was active in Speech and Debate. In the words of Dr. Seuss, “Oh The Places You’ll Go” described her world as it expanded all the way to Nebraska to attend Creighton Memorial St. Joseph Hospital School of Radiologic Technology in Omaha Ne. When she graduated in Dec of 1964 her first job took her to the new state-of-the-art St Paul-Ramsey city/county Hospital. That job opened up an opportunity for her to get into the emerging field of Nuclear Medicine. She enrolled in the Nuclear Medicine Technology Program at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. Following her training, she returned as the Chief Technologist of the Nuclear Medicine Dept. at St. Paul-Ramsey Hospital and was involved in many exciting developments in this new field, doing clinical trials, writing scientific papers & teaching. In the meantime, she completed a Bachelor of General Studies at the University of Minnesota. In the late 1970’s she accepted a position with ADAC Labs, a start- up medical imaging company that eventually took her to the Bay Area in California where she enjoyed being part of the Silicon Valley technology experience. Her final career move took a turn into real estate. Coming full circle after 10 years in California, she came back to South Dakota in 1990 to family and friends and settled in Sioux Falls where she enjoyed a long career in real estate.

While her work challenge gave her a great sense of accomplishment, she also enjoyed a wide variety of personal interests along the way including traveling, being involved in a variety of hobbies and volunteer opportunities at every stage of her life. She was fortunate to enjoy the friendship of a wide range of people she encountered during her life journey, including “The Girls of 62”-a group of 10 high school friends who forged a friendship that has lasted a lifetime. Having grown up with much extended family, her heart was always grounded in those family links. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family having been preceded in death by her parents and both of her brothers, Bruce & Tom. She knew that while the family chain was broken and nothing seemed the same, as God called them one by one, the chain would be linked again.

Knowing that families are the compass that guides us, she reminds all of us to “keep your bags packed for one another”. She leaves to carry on the family legacy her seven nephews; Chad, Chris, Mike, Billy, David, Brady and Brian Maxwell and her niece Suzanne Maxwell Johar, as well as a number of cherished great nieces and nephews, 2 sisters-in-law Barb (Bruce) & Deb (Tom) Maxwell and many special extended family and friends.

Her favorite mantra was “Never Give Up”—on yourself or each other. With that in mind it seems appropriate to leave this final thought with you from Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing”.

As people journey through life, they leave footprints wherever they go—footprints of kindness and love, courage and compassion, humor and inspiration, joy and faith. Even when they are gone, we can still look back and clearly see the trail they left behind—a trail bright with hope that invites us to follow. The color red symbolizes happiness and good fortune. Consider wearing a touch of red to the services as a sign of happiness and good fortune in being here to celebrate community with one another during this Journey Remembered.

Memorials in lieu of flowers are encouraged to a charity of your choice, or as a suggestion, to a program supporting children’s needs locally and around the world. As a tribute to her brother Bruce, for whom she had the privilege of being a stem cell donor. Please sign up to become an organ, tissue and bone marrow donor. You can’t take and of these precious commodities with you and heaven knows they are needed here.