Maxine E. Beane, 91

LEGRAND — Maxine Evelyn (Hoover) Beane, 91, of LeGrand died Feb. 12, 2008, at her home.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at LeGrand Friends Church. Visitation will be Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at LeGrand Friends Church.

Maxine was born on Dec. 31, 1916, to Quaker parents Clyde E. and Margaret Keen Hoover on a farm near LeGrand, Iowa. She graduated from LeGrand High School in 1934 and attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She married Ercil Victor Beane in a traditional unprogrammed Quaker ceremony at their LeGrand Friends Church on Nov. 26, 1938.

She and Ercil lived on and operated his family farm north of LeGrand for 2 and one-half years before moving to her childhood farm where they lived for almost 66 years and where she was an active partner in all phases of the farm. She treasured the life and work of the farm.

Maxine was very involved in Friends Church programs on the local level as well as in national and international leadership roles. She served as program editor and president of the United Society of Friends Women International. During the six years of her presidency she participated in local and regional meetings across North America as well as to Kenya, Palestine, Greece, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Thailand, India, Persia, England, Jamaica and Central America. She served on the board of governors of the Earlham School of Religion. She was an inspirational speaker, retreat leader, facilitator and administrator for various meetings, convocations and commencements.

She was a member of the board of managers of Church Women United and participated in their Causeway to Asia program in which she traveled to meet with women in Vietnam, Japan, Philippines, Korea and Hawaii.

In the local community she taught Sunday school classes, directed dramas, led the schools music boosters club, was active in the LeGrand Literary and Music Club and taught Red Cross home nursing classes.

Maxine worked extensively with her husband in many countries in Africa, Asia, the Mid-East, Europe, Central and South America lecturing on the philosophy of life and the Chiropractic profession. Together they encouraged and supported many foreign students in the study of chiropractic. As a team they developed Chiropractic Live Research Centers in numerous (69) countries. For her service and significant contributions to the philosophy, science and art of chiropractic she was granted an honorary Doctor of Chiropractic Humanities Degree from Sherman College of Chiropractic, South Carolina.

She was the mother of five children: David (Judy) Beane, Daniel (Sarah) Beane, Marian Bean, Evan (Cindy) Beane and Joel (Rita) Beane. She had 10 grandchildren: Kristin Beane (Andrew) Sullivan, Laura Beane (Bryce) Freeman, Wesley Beane, Heidi (Brett) Koopman, Douglas (Heather) Beane, Jonathan (Jaime) Beane, Adam Beane, Patrick (Laurie) Beane, Stephanie (Todd) Weaver and Erin Beane; and 12 great-grandchildren: Isabel, Beatrice and Archer Sullivan, Bennett and Clara Freeman, Elijah Koopman, Cody Weaver, Hannah, Abigail, Saralyn, Regan and Jarett Beane.

She was preceded in death by her parents and grandson, Matthew Beane.

Among the many ingredients of life that were important to Maxine were her family, spiritual experiences, the farm, gardening, books, Quaker faith and practice, chiropractic philosophy and practice and the many lessons she drew from nature. Meditation and contemplation were central to her daily life at home, in nature and in public places. From her experiences, observations and reading she was convinced of the oneness of God’s creation and the great outflowing and self giving love of God as demonstrated to us by Jesus. She firmly believed that “neither life, nor death can separate us from the love of God.”

Memorials may be made to the United Society of Friends Women International, American Friends Service Committee or Right Sharing of World Resources.

Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Maxine and her family. For condolences, visit www.mitchellfh.com