Maxine (Barnett) Skaggs

Helen Maxine (Barnett) Skaggs, of Salina, passed away September 13, 2024, just 5 days shy of her 105th birthday. Maxine was born September 18,1919 in Topeka, Kansas to Charlotte and Ralph Barnett.

Maxine graduated from Concordia High School in 1937, attended Brown Mackie Business School in Salina and began working for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.

In 1930 she and Leland Skaggs began dating. They married in 1942, just prior to Leland’s overseas deployment which lasted for 3 ½ years.

By 1949 Leland had completed optometry school in Chicago and they bought a small practice in Philipsburg, Kansas where they lived until 2003.

Three children were born, Lee Ann (1946), Susan Jane (1952) and Richard Max (1962). During the years in Phillipsburg Maxine was active in the Methodist Church, she was a 4-H Club leader and was a behind the scenes business partner during Leland’s prolonged hospitalizations and recovery from tuberculosis, keeping both the household running and the business open by employing temporary optometric graduates.

In 2003 Maxine and Leland relocated to Riverside Plaza in Salina. Maxine relocated to the caring facility of Eaglecrest in 2021, enjoying many new friendships in these later years.

She is preceded in death by her parents, brothers, and by Leland in 2006.

She is survived by children, Lee Romaniszyn (William Counter), Susan Skaggs and Richard Skaggs (Jean Lynch); grandchildren, Mike Roth (Jacquelyn), Laurie Graff, Kelly Graff and Camille Knoles; great-grandchildren, Matthew Roth and Jake Roth

A memorial service will be held at Eaglecrest, Saturday, September 21, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. with a reception to follow.

Memorials may be made to the donor's choice.

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