Alice Ann (O’Neil) Maxwell – The Morning Sun

Alice Ann (O’Neal) Maxwell passed away peacefully on 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 and attended schools in Weir, graduating from Weir High School in 1956. Alice went to work for McNally Manufacturing after high school and worked for them until they closed in 1990, with a brief hiatus in the 1970’s when she had her daughter. She was secretary to the Vice President of Sales at the time of their closing and dedicated 28 ½ years to their business. After her daughter graduated from high school, she moved to Topeka. While in Topeka, she worked for the Kansas Legislature, Kansas Board of Education, and retired from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation in 2002. While in Topeka, Alice also worked for Wal-Mart as a second job, and continued working for them when she moved back to Pittsburg in 2002. She retired from Wal-Mart in 2020 after 27 ½ years as a cashier. Alice learned how to decorate cakes to make a birthday cake for her daughter’s 5th birthday and built a very successful second income from her talent by baking cakes for her friends and family. Her beautiful cakes were a part of so many family parties, get-togethers, and weddings. She loved baking and made many friends through her second business, which helped her raise her daughter on her own. Alice never shied away from hard work. She was very active in the Weir Alumni Association and served as secretary for their group, sending out invitations and helping plan their reunions. She was also a member and secretary of the McPitt club at McNally’s and helped with their family parties and holidays. Her faith was very important to her and she was very steadfast in her beliefs. Alice was the secretary of her church, Weir Baptist, and the secretary of the local Southern Baptist convention group. During her illness, she could only talk about visiting Jesus. She met Hearl Junior Maxwell during her years at McNally’s and they had a daughter, Emily Marenda (Mindi), whom she raised alone from the age of 3. Alice is survived by her daughter, Marenda, and her husband, Brian; Pittsburg. Other survivors 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 proud of them and attended every activity they participated in during 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 held on Monday, July 29, 2024 at 10:00 AM at Bath-Naylor Funeral Home in Pittsburg, KS with Pastor Duane Elmore officiating. Burial will be in Crocker Cemetery in Pittsburg, KS. The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Sunday, July 28, 2024 at Bath-Naylor Funeral Home in Pittsburg, KS; friends may call after 2:00 PM on Sunday. In lieu of flowers, the family requests expressions of sympathy be made to SEK Animal Advocates. Friends may leave 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.