Maxine Mae Killinger

HASTINGS - A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, August 11, 2007, at 11 a.m. in St. Rose Catholic Church for Maxine May Killinger, where she practiced her faith for the past 46 years. She died peacefully at home with her family, of cancer, in the early morning of August 8, 2007. She was 82 years old. Formerly of Owosso, MI, Maxine was the fifth of nine children born May 7, 1925 to Henry James Gurden and Mary Elizabeth Weigel, both whom emigrated from Germany as small children in 1904. She graduated from Owosso High School in 1942. In February of 1951, Maxine married Bernard L. Killinger, also of Owosso. Maxine and Bernie eventually settled in the Hastings area in the fall of 1961. Kathleen Marie Shay of Hastings was the first child born to the couple, followed by Timothy James Killinger of Glen Allen, VA; Thomas Joseph and Jane of Kalamazoo, and Bernard Jr., (Buck) and Cindy of Gloucester, VA. Maxine's grandchildren are Jeremy and Missy Flanigan of Sheridan, MI; Jennifer Flanigan of Ionia, MI; Jason and Erica Flanigan of Newport News, VA; Ryan and Tonya Shay of Hastings; Joshua Killinger of Glen Allen, VA; Sarah Killinger of Kalamazoo; and Jordan Killinger of Gloucester, VA. Her great grandchildren are Austin Ulrich, Grace Flanigan and Daniel Shay; easily, the apples of Maxine's eye. Maxine's surviving siblings are Leston (Polly) Gurden of North Muskegon, MI, Louise Gurden Baker, Joanne Gurden (Don) Crofoot, Phyllis Gurden (John) Forsythe, Betty Gurden and Marilyn Gurden Spencer, all of Owosso, MI. Maxine was God's faithful servant of St. Rose Parish and a member of the Catholic Daughter's for more than 30 years and served as an officer in that organization for many of those years. Her hobbies and talents were many, but her most beloved were embroidery, baking bread, reading, working crossword puzzles, watching Tiger baseball and spending time with her grandkids and great grandkids. Maxine was beloved by all and will be sorely missed by the community and her beloved husband Bernie. Visitation will be Friday from 6-8 p.m. with a Rosary at 5:30 p.m. at the Girrbach Funeral Home in Hastings. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Rose Parish Children's School Fund. Arrangements are by the Girrbach Funeral Home in Hastings. You may leave a message or memory to the family at (girrbachfuneralhome.net).