Maxine Howerter

Maxine Howerter, 93, passed away after a short illness, on the evening of Tuesday, June 16, 2015. She passed at Miller Memorial Care Center in Chappell. She had lived there for the past 3 ½ years.

Visitation will be Monday, June 22, 2015 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Holechek Funeral Home in Chappell, with Funeral services being held at 10 a.m. the following day Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at the First United Methodist church in Chappell with Rev. Thomas Hyde officiating.

Memorials are suggested to the Miller Memorial Care Center or the First United Methodist Church, both of Chappell.

You can view the online obituary and share condolences with the family at http://www.holechekfuneralhomes.com

Maxine Elizabeth Howerter was born on April 10, 1922, in Chappell, to Fred and Anna (Volz) Howitt. She attended Deuel County High School, graduating in 1940, where she was very active in vocal music, singing in the girl's sextet and also performed a vocal solo at her class' graduation ceremony.

Maxine met her future husband, Dale Lorne Howerter at a public dance. In 1943, she traveled to Florida where Dale was serving duty in the U.S. Navy. They were married in DeLand, Florida on May 15, 1943, and enjoyed 56 years together before Dale passed away in 1999. After Dale's term with the Navy finished in 1945, they returned to Chappell to make their home. Maxine worked for several years at Thompson Pharmacy with Hjalmer Thompson as her employer. In 1956 she purchased "The Coffee Shop". She would often recall many pleasant memories of her time there. Some memories were of the Rip Van Winkle harvest crew who would always start their work day with breakfast at The Coffee Shop, and of Grandma Steele making her delicious homemade pies which were usually gone within a few hours. They sold The Coffee Shop in 1960 and Maxine went to work as a cook at Miller Memorial Hospital. She wanted to pursue her dream of being a beautician and to own her own shop, so in 1964 she enrolled at WNTC. After graduation in 1967, she worked at Enright Beauty Shop for 15 years before realizing her dream and in 1982, opened her own shop in an addition built on to her and Dale's home.

Maxine was a 50 plus year member of the First United Methodist Church in Chappell, where she was head usher for a number of years. She was also a member of the War Brides, BPW, and Meals on Wheels. She also thoroughly enjoyed serving her church family.

She is survived by her nieces and nephews, who she loved as "her kids", the staff at MMCC and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers CE "Bud" Howitt and wife Blanche, Mike Howitt and Lewis Howitt and wife Freida.

Holechek Funeral Home and Cremations in Chappell is serving the Howerter family.