L. Maxine McGilvery

L. Maxine McGilvery

L. Maxine (Max) McGilvrey was born September 8, 1944, the eighth child of William and Hazel (Hullinger) Jones on the family farm. Max passed away at her home on May 29, 2004.
Max grew up on the family farm and attended country school, Ellston schools until it closed and graduated in 1962 from Mount Ayr Community High School.
Max was united in marriage to John (J.B.) McGilvrey in 1962 and three children were born to this union. After living in Mount Ayr, Marshalltown and Eldora they made their home in Woodward where Max began her career at the Woodward Resource Center in 1972. She eventually became the head of the Adaptive Equipment Center. In July of 1998 Max became the third person in Iowa to be certified as an Assistive Technology Practitioner.
In 1988 while trying to adapt a wheelchair for a client Max found Dr. Pat Paterson with the Biomedical Engineering Department at Iowa State. Dr. Patterson provided her with two engineering students and with their help a Computer Aided Draft of a wheelchair was made and built by a wheelchair manufacturer and to my knowledge it is still being made. This led to a program being established between the Adaptive Equipment Center and Iowa State where Engineering students could get hands on experience and earn a wage too. Through this program Max made lifelong friendships with most of the students and has kept in touch with them.
In 2002 Max was given the Golden Dome as State Employee of the Year by then Governor Vilsack.
Max retired in 2010.
Max was active in the community serving on the board of adjustments and served in several capacities in Little League.
She enjoyed her flowers until she was no longer able to take care of them, camping, reading but most of all her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, children Stephanie Davis and her husband Steve, and Laurie A McGilvrey. Her siblings Gene Lee, Martha Lynn, Bob, David. Mary, Marge, Curt and Ken. In-laws Mary Jones, Genora Jones, Jean Collier, Jim Thomas, Joanne and Robert Blunck.
She is survived by her husband John, son John C, Grandsons Tony (Jenny) McGilvrey, Nate (Kylie) Burlingame, Tristan (Katlynn) McGilvrey, granddaughter Taryn (Alder) McGilvrey, Great grandchildren Keagin Simmer, Max Burlingame and Maxine McGilvrey, Siblings Lloyd Jones and Millie (Ron)Pittman. Sister-in-law Janeen McGilvrey, many special nieces, nephews and close friend Sheila Sparling.
A special thanks to the Wesley Hospice staff, especially Kaitlyn, brother Lloyd, Dianne, Linda and Jenny!
Services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers the family asks that you donate to Easter Seals of Iowa in Maxine’s name.