Maxine Lashbrook

In Loving MemoryMaxine LashbrookApril 13, 1932 - November 2, 2023

VISITATIONWednesday, November 8, 20231:30 - 2:00 P.M.Martin-Mattice Funeral HomeEmmetsburg, IowaSERVICEWednesday, November 8, 20232:00 P.M.Martin-Mattice Funeral HomeEmmetsburg, IowaCLERGYPastor Judy DePueINTERMENTEvergreen CemeteryEmmetsburg, Iowa

Maxine Elizabeth (Peterson) Lashbrook was born April 13, 1932 in Bancroft, Iowa to Marie (Rambath) and Peter O. Peterson. Her father was an independent trucker and her mother was a homemaker and caregiver. In 1936, while working for the Bancroft CCC camp, Peter came down with pneumonia and died. Marie was left with two young children (Maxine and Kenneth Peterson) and four older children from Marie’s previous marriage (Tressie, Luella, Orville, and Marvin Duncan) to raise and provide for. Maxine attended public school in Bancroft and in 1944, her mother moved the family to Algona, Iowa. Maxine excelled even further at Algona public schools and had two best friends, Louise Presthus and Lucile Loesch. [These women would later become Maxine’s sisters-in-law.] She was the top student in the high school business courses and her business teacher recommended Maxine for a student office position handling farm tax schedules for a local law firm. Maxine graduated from Algona High School in 1949. She continued as an office worker for Algona’s Chamber of Commerce and managed their small Western Union office.She met and dated Robert “Bob” Lashbrook who had completed his military service in US Navy and was working for the city of Algona. In April 1950, the couple was married at First Lutheran Church in Algona. Bob learned the meat-cutting trade under the guidance of Billy Hood at Hood’s grocery store in Algona and after four years there, he was approached by Ted Girard about a meat manager position at Ted’s grocery store in Emmetsburg. Maxine, Bob, and Maxine’s mother, Marie, moved to a house on Emmetsburg’s Main Street and Bob started working for Ted’s. In 1956, the couple’s first child, a daughter Laurie, was born. On New Year’s Eve 1960, a son, James “Jim” was born. With the family expanding, the couple decided to have a new one-story house built on 7th Street and moved into it during July 1963. When her son was four years old, Maxine began working part-time as a legal secretary for attorney Leslie Prichard and eventually, went full-time when the children were in both in school. Upon her retirement in 1993, Maxine had worked 33 years as a legal secretary. Post-retirement, she worked part-time for the Palo Alto County in the County Attorney’s and Recorder’s offices.Amongst her favorite activities were golf, playing cards (bridge and 500), attending high school football games, and driving up to the Twin Cities to do some shopping and watch the Minnesota Twins and Vikings play. She was an active member of the Emmetsburg Country Club, Bethany Lutheran church, various bridge and 500 card clubs, a sewing club, and women’s bowling league. She also was politically active and assisted with various local and Democratic campaigns.Maxine was preceded in death by her husband, Robert E. Lashbrook; son, James R. Lashbrook; parents, Peter O. and Marie (Rambath) Peterson; grandparents: Peder O. and Elisabeth (Opdahl) Peterson and Henry B. and Emma (Kading) Rambath; siblings, Kenneth P. Peterson, Tressie (Duncan) Delizio, Luella (Duncan) Avery, Orville Duncan, and Marvin Duncan; sisters-in-law, Fae (Lashbrook) Bode, Louise (Presthus) Lashbrook, Lucile (Loesch) Lashbrook, Lois (Lansman) Lashbrook, Audrey (Slagle) Duncan, Dorothy (Kalso) Duncan; and brothers-in-law Samuel Delizio, Delwin B. Avery, Harlan Lashbrook, Carroll Lashbrook; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.She is survived by her daughter, Laurie Anne Lashbrook (Prior Lake, Minnesota); sister-in-law, Nedra (Heise) Peterson (Eldora, Iowa); brother-in-law, Durwood Lashbrook (Portland, Oregon); numerous cousins, nieces, nephews; and many friends and neighbors. She especially appreciated the many visits, phone calls, and gifts provided by: best friend, Joanne Mathisen; Burt Varcoe; and Elaine Nauss while living in long-term care during her battle with Alzheimer’s/dementia.

Arrangements by Martin-Mattice Funeral Home