Isabel "Jean" Maxwell

Isabel Jean (Rasmussen) Maxwell, 78, died April 17, 2025. Known by family and friends as Jean, she died 3 months after her beloved husband of 48 years, Richard Howard Maxwell, who passed away on January 17, 2025. Jean was born on April 13, 1947, in New Albany, Indiana, to Paul and Betty (Thomson) Rasmussen. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church which instilled a commitment and goodwill to everyone everywhere.
As a young girl living in Floyd County, Jean was a tom-boy with a love of nature and being outdoors playing sports in neighborhood sandlots; annual family fishing trips to Canada living in rough hewn cabins with outdoor privies, baiting hooks and navigating fishing boats with outboard motors. She became an avid bird watcher cataloging species wherever she traveled.
Jean graduated from New Albany High School as Valedictorian in 1965; graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hanover College (BA History), winning Alumni Award for Scholarship, Character and Citizenship and Hanover's highest award for women, The Henry C. Long Citation given to the outstanding senior woman voted by the faculty for her scholarship, leadership, Christian interests and practices, world-mindedness and quality of her campus citizenship in 1969. Later she studied nursing at the University of Indiana Southeast Campus (IUS).
Jean met her husband, botany professor, Dick Maxwell at IUS and continued her outdoor adventures assisting him with his research in the field and collating flora and fauna discoveries and findings back on campus.
A lifelong humanitarian and animal advocate, during volunteer work with the Floyd County Animal Rescue League, Jean made significant advances in the quality of animal control and sheltering services in her community. She led the campaign to build a state of the art animal shelter which opened in 2000. Jean served as Director of Animal control from 1992-2000. Her contributions to animal welfare and her community were immeasurable.
Jean was not reluctant to assist when she saw a problem, large or small. She was always sensitive to those in need. Working without fanfare friends and strangers benefitted from her giving spirit, intelligence and lightning quick wit.
She is survived by her brother, Denny Rasmussen; two nieces, Linda and Jenni Heisler; two nephews, Ned Heisler, and Kurt (Karen) Heisler; great-nephews, Garrett and Connor Heisler; great-niece, Hallie Heisler; her cousins Judy (Rasmussen) Wasson and George Rasmussen and in Scotland Ian Torrie, Jane Main, Ron and Ken Donaldson.
Her family wishes to acknowledge her many friends, lovingly known as her 'fan club', headed by close friend Shelley Dickman; caregivers Matthew Blakey, Tina Vandersall and Katie Spillman.