Dolly Maxwell

Dolly Maxwell, 81, of Brazil, IN, formerly of Robinson, IL, passed away on November 13, 2023, at Hutsonwood in Brazil, IN. She was born July 20, 1942, in Vincennes, IN, where she spent much of her early life before her family moved to Crawford County, IL. Soon after graduating from Oblong High School in 1960, she got married and started a family. Before long, Dolly found herself as a single mother of four but would push forward, displaying an admirable resilience that became a cornerstone of her persona.

Through the years, she worked at a number of local establishments, often working two or three jobs at the same time. For example, she'd work at the Shoe Factory throughout the week and waitress at the Chatter Box for a couple of nights before the weekend rolled around and found her tending to the regulars at the Moose! In 1973, she began working part-time at the Post Office, which got her foot in the door for a full-time position, starting in 1975. In 2005, Dolly retired from the Post Office after 30 years, but she continued to work part-time at an antique mall and ran her own earring booth for a time. She fully retired after marrying Jackie "Jack" Mikeworth on September 9, 2008.

Her love for life was evident in her varied interests, from antiquing to shopping at the "GW Boutique" (aka Goodwill) to embracing the excitement of trips to Vegas with Jack. Passionate about genealogy, Dolly was the keeper of her family's heritage. She was an outstanding contributor to their understanding of the past as she collected tubs worth of her family's history. An exceptional gardener, Dolly's flowers bloomed so beautifully that her efforts at the Post Office were featured on the front page of the Daily News. She was also a prolific mushroom hunter, so dedicated that she would take vacations from the Post Office during mushroom season. Her four-legged friends also brought life to her living, as she averaged having about eight cats and two dogs at any one time! In fact, she was known to feed stray cats and would even trap them to get neutered or spayed.

Dolly's generosity was simply unmatched, something constantly displayed in her actions. This was most evident when she won $250,000 from a lottery ticket and chose to give much of it away. She was always quick to ask how she could help, and recently, Dolly even offered to help her granddaughter move, though she could barely move herself. This speaks to the overwhelming and selfless love she gave to her grandkids. She cherished tea parties with her great-granddaughter, Shyan, thoroughly enjoyed watching Illinois basketball games with her great-grandson, Colton, and this kid at heart was once caught jumping on the trampoline with her grandkids at the age of 74! All of these memories and countless others prove that her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the very light of her life.

Dolly Maxwell will be greatly missed, but her memory lives on in the laughter of her grandchildren, the bloom of her flowers, the strength of her family, and the hearts of everyone who knew her.

She is survived by her children, Darra Taylor (IN), Randy L. & Debbie Biggs (AR), Lora & Dennis Thompson (NC); her step-children, David Mikeworth (Robinson, IL) and Shawn & Crystal Mikeworth (CA); by several beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren; by her siblings & their spouses, Ron & Lib Maxwell (Oblong, IL), Marilyn Ann Henthorne (TN), Dave & Shirley Maxwell (Palestine, IL); by her sister-in-law, Ingrid Maxwell (Stoy, IL); as well as several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph Maxwell & Dorothy (Bishop) Maxwell; her brothers, Virgil Maxwell and Robert Lee Maxwell; her husband, Jack Mikeworth; and her son, Ricky L. Biggs.

A time of visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. Central Time (11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on Friday, November 17th, at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson. A graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Central Time (2:00 p.m. Eastern Time) at Fairview Cemetery in Vincennes, IN, with her brother, Dave Maxwell, officiating.

In honor of her undying love for animals, memorial contributions may be made to either the "Crawford County Humane Society" (which provides a safe, temporary place for animals in need) or to "Paws for Prevention" (to help cover the cost of spaying/neutering local pets). Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.