Charles Buddy Maxwell

Buddy was a tremendous guy. I met him at the Midland Inn/Restaurant in Murphysboro through my high school football coach, Frank Bleyer, and the two of them could regularly be seen sitting at the bar often in the same two seats. In fact, many of the local customers were hesitant to take those hallowed seats when they were unoccupied knowing that Buddy and Frank would occupy those seats when they came in a little later. When Frank passed away, Buddy kept his seat at Middies for maybe a year or so. A variety of characters also
continued to patronize, (myself probably one of the main ones) and several of
us felt very good with occasionally getting to sit in Franks seat next to Buddy.
Then when Buddy's health began to fail, his attendance at Middies began to drop off until finally he made it no more. At that point it was no longer an occasional comment about Frank's empty seat but rather a not too unusual remark "that those two seats were nearly always occupied by Buddy and Frank". Don't know about others but when it was my good fortune to sit next to Buddy our conversations were invariably about politics, local, regional and national. I am 85 now so we were about the same age and I had been the Regional Superintendent of Schools for several years, Fortunately, we were devoted (perhaps worshipped) to the same political party. And he related to me at one time that he had a brother that was the county chairman in Peoria? County. My belated condolences to the family and friends of Buddy Maxwell. May he rest in peace. NOTE: I still visit Midland a couple times a week and always try stop sit in Buddy's seat.