Robert Samuel Maxwell

Robert Samuel (Bobby Sam) Maxwell of West Union passed away at home on June 1, 2017. He was born on October 1, 1919 in West Union, West Virginia to the late Edwin Lewis and Nell Rae (Hacker) Maxwell. He lived in West Union when he was very young, and briefly in Ellicott City, Maryland at the age of 10. Upon returning to WV he lived in Salem where he attended High School graduating at the age of 16. After graduation, he went to work at a meat packing house in Wheeling while he attended Business School for 2 years, then began working for the Department of Agriculture as a livestock grader. Upon his return to West Union he met Mildred Lee Stinespring in 1936, and on January 15, 1941 they were married in Grayson, Kentucky. Bob enlisted in the Army Air Corp. on October 3, 1942, where he spent 3 years. He spent 1 years of that time on Adak Island in the Aleutians. Upon discharge, he returned to his former job with the State Department of Agriculture where he worked for 27 years. He made many friends over the state during those years especially the farmers in the Eastern Panhandle. He worked many years with his good friend Bill Hall.Bob had a tremendous mind for numbers and record keeping, with the potential to do most of his math in his head. Whatever he read he remembered and he loved history. He could tell you anything about the history of the land, especially the Maxwell land in Doddridge County. In 1946, he bought a farm one mile from West Union which he happily farmed until the construction of Route 50 in 1969, then moved farther south on Rt. 18. Farming was in his blood and he loved to take long walks over the land. He raised beef cattle and sheep and instilled his deep love of land and livestock in his daughters. Bob was a member of the Farm Bureau, Lions Club, the Mason, and the VFW for many years.After retirement, Bob and Mildred made several cross-country trips to visit his sister-in-law in California. They also took trips to visit various national parks which Bob had read about in depth. Many Happy memories were made at Canaan and Cacapon state parks where he enjoyed playing golf. For several years the entire family met in Orlando and visited all the Disney Parks. Bob also enjoyed meeting friends at various restaurants or at the senior center where he enjoyed a good game of pool. His wife and lifelong sweetheart Mildred died on January 13, 2017, two days before their 76th wedding anniversary. In addition to Mildred and his parents he was preceded in death by two brothers, Edwin Lewis and David Lee and one grandson, Matthew Todd Ireland.He is survived by three daughters, Donna M. Dowlatshahi (William Kramer) of Allentown, Pa; Karen (Woody) Ireland of Pullman, WV; and Sue Ann (John) Spiker of Jane Lew, WV, as well as seven grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and one great, great grandson and one special niece, Mary Farr Secrist.Special thanks go to the outstanding caregivers that provided such good and loving care during Bobs last months: Alice Davis, Judy Jones, Becky Webb, Chas Joswick, Evelyn Bunner and Jean Strother.Funeral services will be conducted in the Emmanuel United Methodist Church, Church Street West Union on Monday June 5, 2017 at 11:00AM with Charter Stinespring presiding. Mr. Maxwell will lie in state one hour prior to his service. Interment will follow in the Masonic Memorial Park with full military graveside rites being accorded by the Combined Doddridge County Veterans Organizations. The family will receive friends in the Spurgeon Funeral Home 212 Front St. West Union on Sunday, June 4, 2017 from 5-8PM. Spurgeon Funeral Home is privileged to serve the Maxwell family.

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