Joseph Ramsey Maxwell

Services: 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, Marshfield Church of the Nazarene, under the direction of Montgomery-Viets Funeral Home of Buffalo. Burial in Maple Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the church. Pastor Brian Letsinger will officiate. Escorts are Brendan Maxwell, Kellan Maxwell, Joe Maxwell, Jon Freeman, Jeff Weatherly and Oval Revels. Honorary escorts are Wilbur Maxwell, Douglas Maxwell, Thomas Maxwell, Robert Maxwell, Barry Maxwell, Virginia Davenport and Mary Layne. Joseph Ramsey Maxwell, 85, was born Jan. 27, 1930, near Hixburg, Va., the son of Graydon and Lucille (Ramsey) Maxwell. He died Jan. 17, 2016, in the Missouri Veterans Home. He was the eldest of 11 children. He was reared on a farm raising tobacco and all manner of crops and livestock. He spent many days out in the fields with brothers and sisters working side by side. He accepted Christ as a young boy of 14 and joined Walkers Presbyterian Church near Hixburg. He later moved his membership to Beale Memorial Presbyterian Church in Pamplin where it remained. As a teenager, he was the youngest deacon ever commissioned while at Walkers Church. He joined the U.S. Army in 1953 and had two tours of duty in occupied West Germany before being discharged in 1961. During his Army duty and while stationed in Fort Leonard Wood, he met the love of his life, Frances Smith. He was united in marriage with Frances on Sept. 12, 1957. He worked for 23 years at the garment factory in Bolivar before retiring in 1985. His passions included listening to bluegrass music, especially Bill Monroe, and its history. He loved listening to the Rev. Billy Graham’s preaching. He loved to garden. He also enjoyed having father and son time walking by the creeks and trails. His faith was important to him. He read his Bible each day and said his prayers at night on his knees. He lived by the word, and though he struggled with many things in life, he remained resolute in his faith. He set a clear example of what it meant to be a Christian and the importance of sharing that gift with others. He was preceded in death by his parents; and siblings: Marie, Forrest and Graydon Jr. Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Frances, Fair Grove; his son, Joe F. and wife, Susan Maxwell, Marshfield; two grandsons: Brendan Maxwell and Kellan Maxwell; one granddaughter, Caroline Maxwell, all of Marshfield; five brothers: Wilbur, Pageland, S.C., Doug, Saxe, Va., Tom and Robert, both of Appomattox, Va., and Barry, Pamplin, Va.; two sisters: Virginia Elder Davenport, Appomattox, Va., and Mary Layne, Charlotte Courthouse, Va.; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.

Joseph Ramsey Maxwell

January 27, 1930 - January 17, 2016