Maxine Travis Novak

WEATHER POSTPONEMENT WEATHER POSTPONEMENT FUNERAL SERVICE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2007, 11:00 a.m. Vera "Maxine" Harris Travis Novak, 83 of 24 26th Ave. S.W., Cedar Rapids, formerly of Mount Vernon, died Thursday, December 6, 2007 in her home from Acute Leukemia. Funeral services 12:00 p.m., Tuesday at Morgan Funeral and Cremation Choices, Mount Vernon Chapel. Friends may call Monday from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. in the chapel. Burial in Mount Vernon Memorial Cemetery. Maxine is survived by her husband Frank M. of Higley Mansion Care Center, Cedar Rapids, two sons: Thomas (Ginny) Travis of Coralville and Bill (Terri) Travis of Shellsburg, and a daughter Peggy (Mike) Powell of Toddville. Maxine is also survived by four step-sons: Mike (Mary), Tom (Betty), Jim (Susan), and Dennis (Heather) Novak, two step-daughters; Mary Kay (Pat) McGrath and Janet (Tom) Kleopfer all of Cedar Rapids. Four grandchildren; Andrea (Derrick), Brad, Matthew, and Ashley, nineteen step grandchildren, three great grandsons and one great granddaughter, three sisters; Wanda (Ray) Schladetzky, Buetta Bentley, and Ilene (Gary) Holderman, and a brother Sonny Harris, and many special nieces and nephews. Preceding Maxine in death were her parents, her first husband Dale, a son Terry Travis, a brother Dale Harris, three sisters; Vivian Zaruba, Genevieve Jones, and Brownie Fritz, and a grandson Nicholas Travis. Maxine was born February 1st 1924 in Lisbon, the daughter of Henry and Agnes Gabbert Harris. She graduated from Lisbon High School in 1943 and worked at A.B. Dicks in Chicago during World War II, manufacturing the then secret Norden Bomb Sight. She then went to Stanford, Connecticut where she worked in a french restaurant. On returning to Lisbon she married Dale Travis in 1945. They had a grocery store in Mount Vernon and later bought a paint and wallpaper store in Williamsburg. They returned to Mount Vernon where her husband became post master and she was employed at Shutt's Pharmacy. She later went to work for Rockwell Collins and after eighteen years, retriring in 1984. Maxine was past Noble Grand of the Rebecca Lodge, life member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She volunteered many hours at the Hahn-Howard American Legion Post #480 and the Veterans Administration Hospital in Iowa City, which she found very rewarding. She wrote poetry, was awarded the Golden Poet Award in 1989 in Washington D.C. and had many of her poems published. Maxine loved her family, friends, butterflies, and music. A memorial fund has been established.