Lee Maxheimer

Lee Joseph Maxheimer (age 92), the son of Isel (Mechem) and Elmer Maxheimer, died at the Mercy One Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa on January 29, 2022. Funeral services will be held at the Ewing Funeral Home in Clarion (1801 Central Ave. East) on Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 11:00 am with Pastor Bill Kem officiating. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 3, 2022 starting at 9:30 am until service begins at 11:00 am at Ewing Funeral Home.

Lee was born on the family farm south of Clarion on May 17, 1929. He attended Clarion Schools, graduating in 1946. He then graduated from Eagle Grove Junior College in 1948 and then attended Iowa State College in Ames with his focus on Mechanical Engineering.

Following college, Lee joined the Army as a Special Agent in the US Army Military Intelligence in 1951. Following his time of service, he engaged in the farming operations with his family south of Clarion. Later, he owned and operated Lee’s Youth Shop in the 1960’s. The majority of his professional career was in Sales, Service and Parts Management for Dan Collins Oldsmobile in Clarion and then Cambier Chevrolet. Before his retirement, he spent many years working for Eaton Corporation in Belmond as Chief of Security, well into his retirement years. Lee had belonged to numerous community organizations including the Clarion Development Commission, Lions Club, American Legion, Jaycees and Clarion Housing.

In 1962, he married Betty Bunn from the Dows area. In 1963 and 1965 Carol and David joined the family. The couple later divorced but remained lifelong friends.

In his spare time, Lee could fix just about anything, including auto diagnostics and repair well before the introduction of the computerized automobiles. As most people knew, Lee was raised with good principles, work ethic, kindness, honesty, and fairness. He was even tempered and never raised his voice. He had his favorite TV shows including M*A*S*H, Walker, Texas Ranger, and old cowboy movies. His favorite pastime though was to watch his beloved Chicago Cubs and both Iowa and Iowa State sports. He liked eating out with the family, especially at Chappy’s on Main, “Margarita, on the Rocks no salt”, and spending time with his grandchildren in Cedar Rapids and Clarion.

Lee was proceeded in death by his parents, sisters Alice and Irma, and his brothers Paul, Robert, and Randall.

Lee is survived by children, Carol (Craig) Elliott of Cedar Rapids and Dave (Brenda) Maxheimer of Clarion; grandchildren: Chris Elliott, Ben (fiancé Sadé Butler), Luke Maxheimer, Noah Maxheimer, Jadyn Nelson, and Kaitlyn Nelson; and friend, Betty Maxheimer of Clarion.

Memorials may be made to Wright County Veterans Affairs.