Helen Maxine Duke Ward of Clinton died July 9, 2014 at the Crown Care Center in Harrisonville, Missouri. She was born in Benton County on August 27, 1920 to John and Osa Margaret Wisdom Duke.

Maxine was graduated from Blairstown High School, Blairstown, Missouri and on January 27, 1942 married Robert Harold Ward. They celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary in 1991. She and Harold lived on their farm in the Norris Community until moving to Clinton in 1988. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, admired for her homemaking skills giving special attention to detail and offering only the best to her family and guests. While in the Norris Community, Maxine was an active working contributor to the Garden Club and the local Extension Homemaker's Club.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Harold in 1991, a young sister Ethyl Duke of Benton County, a brother Harl Duke of Tucson, Arizona, and a sister Ina Downing of Warsaw, Missouri.

She is survived by her two daughters, Deanna Holloway of Clinton, Missouri and Chris Ward of Portland, Oregon. Also surviving are her grandchildren; Tim Holloway of Clinton, Missouri, Lori Abiecunas and husband, Jason, of Beijing, China, and Laura Southers of Corvallis, Oregon. Other survivors left to remember her influences are two great grandchildren, Heather Holloway and Ella Abiecunas; two sisters, Margaret Cook of Harrisonville, Missouri and Christine Lindsay of Rathdrum, Idaho, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Maxine, formerly an active member of the Norris Methodist Church, was presently a devoted member of First Presbyterian Church in Clinton where a Celebration of her Life will be held 11:00 A.M. Monday, July 14, 2014. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow in Clinton Memory Gardens, Clinton, Missouri.

The family suggests memorials to be made to the Clinton Presbyterian Church or to the Henry County Museum where she was a volunteer, and may be left in care of the funeral home. Fond memories and condolences can be left online at www.vansant-millsfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton, Missouri and are pending at this time.