Richard Stone Maxey's Obituary
MAXEY, RICHARD STONE, DDS, 83, of Miami, passed away peacefully on June 9, 2009 after a long illness. Born in Miami on Valentine's Day in 1926, Dick was raised in the Biscayne Park area of Miami. His father, Thomas Jefferson Maxey and his mother, Zella Rose Stanton Maxey, contributed to Miami's early development during the booming 1920's through the supply of lumber milled by their family-owned Jefferson Lumber Mill. Life during those years for their family of seven was filled with rich memories. Dick was baptized by immersion at Central Baptist Church in downtown Miami on Oct. 3, 1937 by legendary pastor C. Roy Angel. A member of the Miami Edison High School baritone horn section of the marching band, Dick graduated in 1943 and entered Stetson University that fall. Following the death of his father that year, he returned home briefly before entering the US Navy, where he served aboard the USS Bushnell in Pearl Harbor and Guam. Following WWII, he continued his studies at the Univ. of Miami, where he played in the "Band of The Hour". Little did Dick realize that a photo-sitting for his UM yearbook in 1947 at LeMann Photography Studio in downtown Miami would lead to a 53-year marriage to the cute photo assistant, Catherine Palmer. From that romantic beginning, they were married the next year and later moved to St. Louis, MO, where Dick graduated from dental school in 1953. After serving in the Dental Corps of the US Army at Ft. Benning, GA, he established his South Miami dental practice in 1956, where he served thousands of patients for the next 41 years. Dick spent this past year living with his son, Richard and his wife, Paula, in their home in Oviedo, where he went home to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Tuesday evening. He is preceded in death by his wife, Catherine (2002), his grandson, Andy Maxey (2006), his brothers Tom Maxey and Jack Maxey, and his sister Ann Maxey Joyner. Dick had an genuine love for people and life. Some of his many interests included golf, beekeeping, the computer, reading, square dancing and music. For over half a century, he was an active member of the University Baptist Church in Coral Gables, where he served on numerous committees, was a deacon, and a choir member. He will be deeply missed by his family; his four children, Anita Shuffield (Ron) of Miami, Richard Maxey, Jr. (Paula) of Oviedo, FL, Laura McDonald (Rick) of Houston, TX and Michelle Pike (Sandy) of Lakeland, FL; his six grandchildren, whom he adored, Melissa Shuffield of Washington, DC, Richard Maxey, III (Melanie) of Orlando, FL, Allison Shuffield of Washington, DC, Scott Shuffield of Miami, and Steven Pike and MacKenzie Pike of Lakeland, FL. Also saddened is his surviving brother, Dr. Edward Maxey of Fayetteville, AR. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be given to the University Baptist Church, 624 Anastasia Ave., Coral Gables, FL 33134, c/o the Maxey Memorial Fund; or the Fellowship of Christian Life Church, 9982 Lake Georgia Dr., Orlando, FL 32817. The family will receive friends at Van Orsdel Funeral Chapel at 11220 N. Kendall Drive from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm on Friday, June 12th. A celebration of Dick's life will be held at 10:00 am on Sat., June 13th at University Baptist Church, Riviera Drive and Segovia Street, Coral Gables. Interment will follow at Miami Memorial Park, 6200 S.W. 77 Ave.
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