Lela Mae (Johnston) Maxwell, 85, of Asheville, NC, formerly of Olney, died Sunday, March 27, 2016 at Brooks-Howell Home in Asheville, NC.  Services at Kistler-Patterson Funeral Home in Olney with burial in Crest Haven Cemetery, Claremont.

Lela was born to Lawrence and Stella (Tice) Johnston on March 31, 1930. She married Jack Maxwell on July 22, 1979, and he preceded her in death on December 23, 2000.

Lela worked as a Physical Therapist, at Lawrenceville Hospital, and the State of Maryland, she was also a Physical Therapist in Korea as a missionary for 17 years. She loved to travel and make quilts. She enjoyed playing card games and putting puzzles together. Lela was very involved in church where she lived. She and her husband Jack lived in Olney for many years and wintered in Fort Mead and Lakeland Florida. She moved to Lakeland Florida after Jack passed away and lived there for three years. She then moved to Ashville, NC where she lived until the time of her passing at the Brooks-Howell Home, a home for retired missionaries, where she lived for the past 8 years. She was involved in the Crusaders Class, and the (Ladies Circle) at the First United Methodist Church in Olney. She was on the United Methodist Church Missions Board in Olney and Florida, and involved in the Steven's Ministry.

Lela was a member of the Red Hat Society; was a very avid writer, loved writing letters to family and friends; taught line dancing and she and Jack loved to square dance.

Lela is survived by her step-son, Mark Maxwell and wife Daryla (Stoltz) of Lincoln, Nebraska; step-daughter, Karen Bishop and husband Bill of Glasgow, Kentucky; step-grandson, Samuel Maxwell and wife Jamie, Lincoln Nebraska.

Lela is preceded in death by her parents and husband, Jack.

Kistler-Patterson Funeral Home, Olney, IL obituary posted – March 30, 2016