Maxine Joy Leggott

Maxine Joy Leggott, age 96, passed into Eternal Life on Monday, April 1, 2019 at Mt. Carmel Home in Kearney, NE. She was born in Elwood, Nebraska on January 17, 1923 to Dewey and Myrtle (Steinbrink) Smith and continued to live at home in Elwood until health issues necessitated a move to the Elwood Assisted Living/Care Center in 2013. In 2014 she moved to Prairie View Gardens, and later to Mt. Carmel Home, both in Kearney, NE. Maxine attended Elwood Public Schools and graduated as Valedictorian of the Class of 1940. She continued to instill the importance of education in all members of her family. She was united in marriage to James J. Leggott in Fort Smith, Arkansas at the First Christian Church on June 17, 1943. To this union three sons were born: James S., Gregg D. and Rick D. Maxine was a very accomplished musician and shared her voice and organist/pianist gifts throughout the years in the community and Christian Church. She started playing the piano for the church when she was 16 years old and continuously played the piano/organ for over 70 years. She talked about taking the train on Saturdays from Elwood to Eustis as a young girl to take lessons. During the early years of her marriage she offered piano lessons to several area pupils in order to be able to buy her own piano. That piano still has a place of honor in her home today. One gentleman stated that whenever Maxine sat down to play the organ/piano you could hear the angels sing! What a gift that she loved to share! The staff at Prairie View Gardens remarked how she could bring several residents out of their rooms to reminisce and dance/sing when she sat down to play the piano. Music is indeed the universal language! Maxine was employed as a secretary in the Bozarth Law Office during the summer months of her Junior and Senior years in high school. After graduation she worked at the AAA Farm Office located in the Gosper County Courthouse for 9 years. On July 1, 1950 James and Maxine began a life-long venture as proprietors of the Leggott Plumbing Shop. The business was later relocated to Ripley St. and was renamed Leggott Plumbing & Hardware, and later incorporated to become Leggott Plumbing, Inc. They continued as business owners until their retirement in 1993. Maxine served as the official “keeper of the books” during that time. She was also an inaugural board member when the Elwood Care Center was opened in the 1970s. Maxine was a consummate hostess and truly delighted in setting a proper table for her guests. She was a member of several card clubs, Clio Club, Alexis Club, TOPS, and the “Dallas Friday Night” group. She was also honored this year with the recognition of her 75 years of membership in the Elwood American Legion Auxiliary. She was an avid sports fan, especially the Huskers and the Pirates! She enjoyed golfing and spent many happy days on the course at Lakeside Country Club. Maxine was a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and she and Jimmy provided many long-lasting memories for their family. Maxine was preceded in death by her husband, parents, stepmother Doris Smith, brothers/sisters-in-law: Evelyn (Leonard) Puls; Sherle (Beth) Leggott; Eldora (Frank “Shorty”) Synovec; Anna Mae (Keith) Wade; Billie Leggott; Ed Saulsbury; Dale Dreher. She leaves to celebrate her life: sons Jim (Kathy) of Plymouth, MN; Gregg of Aurora, CO; Rick (Anita) of Edina, MN; grandchildren: Lyndsay of Plymouth, MN, J.D. of St. Louis Park, MN, Greggory of Minneapolis, MN, Jeffrey of Missoula, MT and Marie of Edina, MN; great-granddaughter: Avery of Plymouth, MN; brother Gary (Sharon) Smith of Lincoln, NE; sisters-in-law: Alice Jean Dreher of Lexington, NE and Doris Saulsbury of North Platte, NE; brother-in-law: Don (Alice) Leggott of Kearney, NE along with many nieces, nephews and friends as well as the wonderful families of caretakers at Prairie View Gardens and Mt. Carmel Home in Kearney. Visitation will be held on Friday, April 5, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m at the Elwood Funeral Home, Elwood, Nebraska. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at the First Christian Church in Elwood, Nebraska at 10:30 a.m. with Darrel Wissmann, officiating. Interment will be at the Elwood Cemetery, Elwood, Nebraska. Elwood Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.