Visitation will precede the service at the funeral home from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Officiating at the service will be Jerry Johannigmeier.
Interment will be in the Appleton City Cemetery
The family suggests in lieu of flowers memorial donations be made to the Appleton City Cemetery Association, or The American Cancer Society, or Heartland Hospice. The memorials may be left at the funeral home.
Maxine Roberts Piepmeier, age 93, was born on March 6, 1928 at the Roberts family home north of Rockville to Oscar and Willa Ward Roberts. Maxine passed away January 10, 2022 surrounded by her loving family.
Faith, family and philanthropy were the passions of Maxine’s life. Maxine was a life-long member of the Community of Christ Church and faithfully attended church there and at other denominations when she was unable to travel to her church. As a child Maxine and her cousin, Helen, promised each other they would marry brothers so they could finally have the same last name. They didn’t marry brothers they married cousins and indeed ended up with the same last name. Oscar and Willa offered to either pay for either a large church wedding or purchase a house and farm if Maxine eloped. The decision was easy for Maxine, she and Wright Bailey Piepmeier eloped on her birthday, March 6, 1947 in Iola, Kansas married by the Rev. Thomas M. Palmer. Although Maxine never had children of her own, her nephews, Craig and Kevin Roberts held a special place in her heart. She planned birthday parties, took them on day trips, an annual Worlds of Fun outing and taught them the art of budgeting and balancing checkbooks. A very private person Maxine was deeply philanthropic mostly through anonymous donations. After Helen passed away from cancer Maxine led the fundraising efforts for the Bates County chapter of the American Cancer Society throughout the rest of her life. She and Wright also supported the Shriner Hospitals and other charities. Maxine joined the Rebekah Lodge on December 4, 1952 and remained an active member the remainder of her life.
Maxine attended school in Rockville graduating in the class of 1945 furthering her education at Kansas City Business College receiving a business degree. After college Maxine moved to Nevada, Missouri staying with her cousin, Clara Roberts Galloway and family before getting a place of her own. Clara and Maxine worked at the telephone company on opposite shifts so they could take turns watching Clara’s children. Maxine worked hard to be promoted from operator to working the switchboard to information and ended her career there working in long distance.
Maxine and Wright moved in with his parents after being married a couple of years. Maxine ran the Piepmeier family farm while Wright worked at the Kansas City Stockyard. In 1965 Maxine was hired as a greeter at Butler State Bank. Throughout her career she worked her way up to a teller, teller supervisor, bookkeeping, new accounts, Assistant Vice President, Vice President and Executive Vice President. Her favorite responsibility was the Gold Eagles Travel Club. Maxine took clients on trips all across the US, Mexico, Caribbean and Canada with as many as 50 people traveling with her. Maxine and Wright were avid world travelers themselves having traveled throughout Europe multiple times, China, Japan, Australia, as well as most of South and Central America. Maxine retired in 1992 from Boatmen’s Bank and they continued to travel for many years until their health would only allow shorter trips.
Dementia made Maxine’s memories slowly fade away over her final years but her kind soul shined through even when her memories were gone. There were times of clarity up until the end of her life. Those were moments cherished by her family and were spent asking many questions.
Preceding Maxine in death were her parents, Oscar and Willa Roberts; husband of 67 years, Wright Bailey Piepmeier; brother Ollie (O.B.) Roberts; sister-in-law Jo Francis Piepmeier Ward and her brother-in-law Bill Ward. Maxine is survived by her sister-in-law Regina Roberts of Appleton City; nephews: Craig Roberts and wife Tina of Appleton City; Kevin Roberts of Lee’s Summit; great niece Ashlyn Roberts Turner and husband Mitchell of Tumbling Shoals, Arkansas; great nephew Brett Roberts of Appleton City; great-great niece Brealea Turner of Tumbling Shoals, Arkansas. She will be greatly missed by her family.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to Heartland Hospice for their months of visits and care given to Maxine and to the staffs of John Knox Village and Medicalodge for treating Maxine like a member of their own family. She thought the world of those who cared for her always graciously thanking them for everything they did for her.
