Mary MIckel

MARY "MAXINE" MICKEL

Iowa City

Mary "Maxine" Mickel, 94, of Iowa City, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. Arrangements have been entrusted to Starks & Menchinger Chapel in St. Joseph, Mich., (269) 556-9450. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 11, at St. John Catholic Church, 600 Columbus Ave., Benton Harbor, Mich., with Father Ben Huynh officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph. Visitation will be held at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Those wishing to sign Maxine's memory book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.

Maxine was born May 20, 1923, in St. Joseph, Mich., to Charles and Bessie (Johnson) Mickel. She graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School in 1941. She attended three years of cadet nurses training at Mercy Central School of Nursing in Muskegon, Mich., during World War II, graduating in 1945. She worked as chief operating nurse at the St. Joseph Sanitarium and then completed post-graduate studies in operating techniques at New York Hospital. In 1947, she started working as an operating room supervisor in Bay City, Mich. Then in 1953, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis. In 1956, she started working at the Veterans Hospital in Iowa City. After 27 years working as an operating room supervisor, she retired in 1984.

Maxine was a world traveler. One of her favorite trips was to the Holy Land. She also visited 48 of the 50 United States. She was a member and volunteer of St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Iowa City. She also volunteered at the Senior Center in Iowa City and was a former member of American Business Women's Association. Also, she was a member of the Red Hat Society.

Maxine was very social and active, and also was an avid reader. She belonged to several book clubs. She loved to bake, entertain and enjoyed painting ceramics and crafts.

Maxine is survived by her sister-in-law, Leatha Mickel; nieces, Laura (Dave) Cox, Charlene Roland and Kathy (Tom) Seeley; great-nephews, Jamie (Julie) Veersma and David (Bryanne) Masterson; great-nieces, Kristin (Brian) Morlock, Aubrey (James) McLaughlin and Jessica Seeley; as well as eight great-great-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Charles Mickel.

Local arrangements are with Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, Iowa City. www.lensing.com