Maxine Levitt Ham Fritzsche

1926 - 2025

Maxine Levitt Ham Fritzsche

November 18, 1926 - March 20, 2025

Maxine Levitt Ham Fritzsche went home with the Lord on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

She was born in Sheffield, Iowa, on November l8, 1926 to Jack and Josie Levitt, the second of four children. Maxine attended grade school in Sheffield, Iowa, and two years of High School in Rockwell, Iowa.

In l942, her father began work at the Black Hills Ordnance Depot at Igloo, S.D. and the family moved by train to Rapid City to be near Maxine's grandmother.

Just weeks after graduating from Rapid City High School in 1944, Maxine's father was accidentally killed. Maxine went to work from the family's Hillcrest apartment for Paul Bellamy and the Black Hills Transportation Company which ran buses to the Airbase for the Military. From this experience she learned bookkeeping.

On December 28, 1946, Maxine married her high school sweetheart Guy Ham. They spent the next four years at SDSU where Guy obtained his degree in animal husbandry and Maxine worked as a bookkeeper for the SDSU Bookstore and Sexauer Seed Company. They spent each summer on the Ham Ranch on Elk Creek east of Piedmont, S.D., working for Guy's father. Following graduation in l950, they made their permanent home on the family ranch.

To this union Karen was born in l954 and Keith in l957. The children attended country school and later Sturgis High School. To make school attendance easier, in 1969 the family purchased a small home near the high school, spending weekdays in town and weekends at the ranch until 1975. Maxine made many new friends, volunteered for school and church activities, was wife, mother, homemaker for her family and the hired men, bookkeeper for the ranch and made time for her own radio show called "Timely Tidbits from the Ranch" on KBHB in Sturgis, S.D.

Following Guy's death in 1980, Maxine leased the ranch to Larry Smith and family and moved to Rapid City. Among her many community activities, she taught line dancing at the Senior Center, volunteered at the Cancer Center and the Salvation Army, continued the Ham family sponsorship of the Junior Beef Showmanship Award as well as her involvement with the SD CowBelles, (including as President), and became an active member of the Hospital Auxiliary eventually serving on the Board of Trustees for Rapid City Hospital.

In the fall of 1984, Maxine married Harold Fritzsche and moved to Fort Wayne, Ind., where Harry was employed with General Electric. They created an active life in Ft. Wayne and deepened many friendships. Harry retired in l986, and they purchased a home in Rapid City, resuming a life of volunteering. Both were active in the SDSM&T Hardrock Club and attended SDSM&T football and girls basketball games. Harry and Maxine also enjoyed wood working. Harry would create the items and furniture while Maxine would apply the finishing touches. These became cherished gifts by friends and family.

Maxine is survived by her son, Keith Ham and his wife Diana Garrido of St. Augustine, Fla.; her stepdaughter, Beth Campbell and husband Don of Carmel, Ind.; and stepdaughter Ann Fritzsche of Scottsdale, Ariz.; grandchildren, Josie Boosinger of Sioux Falls, S.D., Emily Ham of Spring Hill, Tenn., Kelsey Campbell of Othello, Wash., and Parker Campbell and his wife, Rachel, of Columbus, Ohio; as well as five great-grandchildren. She is also survived by many Ham, Levitt and Fritzsche nieces and nephews, each of whom meant so much to her.

Maxine was preceded in death by her father, Jack Levitt; her mother, Josephine Stewart; her daughter, Karen Jo Ham; her brother, Lindy Levitt; and sisters, Bea England and Marj Hood.

Burial will be at Mountain View Cemetery at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 24. A Celebration of Life will be held later that day at Kirk Funeral Home at 1:30 p.m. A reception of family and friends will immediately follow the services and will be held at Kirk Funeral Home.