Mary Maxine Carman

Mary Maxine Carman, 101, of Gallipolis, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Monday, February 5, 2024 at her granddaughter's home in Lexington, Kentucky, where she resided for the past two years.  She was born March 3, 1922 in Kansas City, Missouri, daughter of James Alfred McCoy and Mary Grace Leavell.

Maxine McCoy married Fred R. Carman on August 16, 1940 in Ashland, Kentucky.  Fred preceded her in death on December 25, 1987.  As the youngest of seven, Maxine was preceded in death by her siblings: Roy McCoy, Dorothy McCoy Wilkins, M. Fern McCoy Smith, twins Brownie and Floyd McCoy, and J. Courtney McCoy.  Two grandchildren also preceded her in death, Holly K. Carman in 1987 and Christopher D. Carman in 2011, as did daughter-in-law Virginia D. Carman in 2017.

Maxine is survived by her two sons Fred R. Carman, Jr. of Floyds Knob, Indiana, and David R. Carman with daughter-in-law Vita V. Carman of Lexington, Kentucky; her granddaughter Heidi Carman with husband Edward Amend and Maxine’s great-grandchildren Gillian and Evan Amend, all of Lexington, Kentucky.  She is also survived by her nephew John Wilkins of South Carolina; nephews Calvin Carman, Doug Brough, and niece Kristy Carman Mayne of Wyoming; and niece Karen Carman Bertka of Utah, with many more dear, extended family and friends.

Maxine was an active member of her community.  Some of her time was spent as a 4-H club advisor, as a longtime member and officer of the Gallipolis Garden Club, and more recently a volunteer at Holzer Hospital for over 30 years.  As the spouse of a construction engineer, she moved nearly every three years, becoming an avid traveler experiencing the Rose Bowl, the Kentucky Derby, Las Vegas, New Orleans, and paragliding in Hawaii.  She enjoyed the birds in her backyard, loved to garden, arrange flowers, sew, knit, and crochet.  Her quick wit and supreme competitiveness made her a desirable partner or formidable opponent in bridge and euchre.  But we can’t forget her canned tomato juice, which made the best damn Bloody Marys in the world!

A Memorial Service for Maxine will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 25, 2024 at Willis Funeral Home with Reverend John Jackson officiating.  Visitation with the family will be prior to the service from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.