Maxine Larie Roberts

Maxine Larie (Cox) Roberts of Groesbeck, passed away peacefully at Windsor Healthcare Residence and went to her heavenly home on Friday, April 23, 2021, at the age of 95.

Visitation will be from 6 pm to 8 pm on Monday, April 26, 2021 at the Groesbeck Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 10 am on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at the First United Methodist Church of Groesbeck, Tx, with Pastor Steve Nance officiating and Brother Richard Williams assisting.  Mrs. Mary Belle Leach will be the pianist with the Chancel Choir leading the congregational singing.  Burial will follow at Fort Parker Memorial Cemetery. 

Pallbearers will be Bobby McDonald, David Kale, Roy DeFriend, Allan Stewart, Bill David Sadler and Walt McKeever.  Honorary pallbearers will be Richard Williams, Bill Renfroe, Jack Leach, Phil Koester, Keith Tilley, Johnny Kent, Tom Hawkins, Tom Lockwood and Joe Leach.    

Maxine was born July 29, 1925 to Henry Cecil and Milliant Lee (Branch) Cox in the Groesbeck Hospital, which at that time was located above the present Groesbeck Journal Office.  She attended school at Beulah until high school and graduated from Groesbeck High School in 1942 at the age of 17.  She was the last surviving member of her class, as well as the last survivor of her siblings and of many of her lifelong friends. 

Maxine married Beall Lester Roberts on September 19, 1942.  They had met on a double date on Valentine’s Day and married after three years of dating.  He was serving in the U S Army Air Corps and due to a leg injury had remained in Amarillo while his unit shipped out overseas.  He came to Groesbeck on leave to marry Maxine and had to return right away to his base.  Maxine took the train (her first time away from home) to join him in Amarillo and worked there on the base as a secretary to the Quarter Master until his discharge in 1945.

They moved back to Groesbeck, and in 1946 joined the First Methodist Church of Groesbeck, Tx.  Maxine worked at the Farmers State Bank, and after leaving the bank, she worked in the office at the Groesbeck Auction Barn on sale days.  She enjoyed going with Beall to Oletha to their Creek Place Farm/Ranch to check on the cows, chop thistles in the pasture and work in the garden.

After eleven years of Maxine and Beall’s married life, they were overjoyed to welcome the first daughter, Ginger Kaye, and two and a half years later their joy doubled with the birth of their second daughter, Patti Lee.  Maxine had a completely new focus with the girls, making their beautiful clothes, serving as room mother for each one for every grade, being a Girl Scout leader, and teaching Sunday school.    

Maxine played the piano at the Methodist Church services for forty-six years.  When she wanted to learn to play the piano in high school, she went to the piano teacher’s home every day at noon and washed her dishes in exchange for lessons.  She also had a natural and beautiful soprano and tenor and alto voice. 

She was very civic minded and fully dedicated to her family, the girls’ activities, her church, collecting door to door for the March of Dimes, and her club work.

She was a member of all the Methodist ladies’ organizations over the years; UWS, WSCS, and UMW.  She was a member of the Groesbeck Woman’s Club and secretary for several years, and a member of the Groesbeck Study Club, where she served as secretary until 2008, when a stroke made it necessary to pass the legacy on to Ginger.  She was one of the Study Club members who helped start the “Red Stocking Follies.” She and Beall participated the first few years and she made all their costumes as well.

On Senior Citizen Honor Day in 2009, she was an Inspirational Award Nominee by the Groesbeck Study Club and also a Recipient from the Senior Citizen Task Force, Texas Agrilife Extension Service presented by Extension Agent Colleen Longbotham.

Maxine maintained a “greeting card ministry”; sending cards to many people for birthdays, condolences, encouragement, and get well wishes.  Her Christmas card list used to include 400 names and she wrote personal notes in each. 

When their grandson, Benton Roe was born, he became the pride and joy of Beall and Maxine, and they encouraged him in all achievements.  They blessed him and he was a real blessing to them.

Maxine always appeared picture-perfect and wouldn’t leave home without her lipstick on and hair fixed (weekly beauty appointments.)  After her stroke, Maxine had to curtail many of her independent activities and her daughters chauffeured her as needed to church, doctor visits, beauty shop visits and visits to the girls homes, yet she maintained a strong interest in church, people and events.

Maxine was preceded in death by her parents, sisters and brothers-in-law, Jackie and Ernest Sauer and Mary Alice and Don Burmeister and brother, Donald Wayne Cox; her husband, Beall  Lester Roberts (4-12-2012) and son-in-law, Ronald “Ronnie/Ron” Fritz (3-7-2018.)

She is survived by her daughter, Ginger Kaye Fritz and her son Ronnie and his girlfriend Elvia; daughter and son-in-law, Patti Lee and Jimmy Roe; her grandson and granddaughter-in-law, Benton Frederick and Lorin Roe; and great grandchildren, Esme’ Roe and Jude Roe.  She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Hazel Cox, numerous nieces and nephews, a multitude of cousins, her church family, and many friends.

In Lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please consider making a donation in her memory to her  church, First United Methodist Church, PO Box 150 Groesbeck TX  76642 which she loved and supported all those years. 

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