Cordeela Maxine Kucera

May 22, 1923 ~ February 5, 2012

February 8, 2012

Cordeela Maxine Kucera passed away peacefully at the Boundary County Community Hospital Extended Care Facility February 5, 2012. Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, February 11, at United Methodist Church in Bonners Ferry. Maxine was born May 22, 1923, in Oronago, Missouri, to Edmond and Rachel White. Mother spent her early years in the countryside around Joplin, Missouri. The family moved to Boundary County in 1935, during the depth of the Depression. Mother attended the Buckhorn School through the eighth grade. On November 10, 1941, Maxine married Leonard Kucera in Columbus, Nebraska. He was a young man who had traveled west to work for an uncle. They farmed in Nebraska until Dad was drafted for the Second World War. During Dad's enlistment, Mother moved back to Boundary County, settling east of Moyie Springs. The marriage, which has lasted 70 years, was spent developing their dairy farm, the LK Ranch, which they operated for 33 years. Mother was active in the county dairy wives, the Curley Creek Extension club, the Curley Creek Community Hall and was an active 4-H leader. In 1985, they leased their interest in the farm to son Leonard Jr. and began enjoying retirement. Mother was a talented artist whose paintings of landscape, portraits, still life, and wild life are scattered across the U.S. Mother was a serious doll collector and has a collection numbering in the hundreds. Maxine and Leonard spent many weeks on the road visiting relatives throughout the U.S. and also attending flea markets, yard sales, etc. Mother took great pride in the growing of flowers and gardening, winning many ribbons for her flowers at the fair. Mother accepted the Lord Jesus as her savior at a young age, and was a member of the United Methodist Church. She spent many hours in prayer for her missing grand-daughter Christine. Maxine was preceded in death by her parents, Edmond and Rachel White, an infant sister, sister Fern Carmack, and brother Douglas White. She is survived by husband Leonard Kucera, son Leonard Jr. (Lucille), daughter Sue (Terry) Howe, daughter Nancy (Steve) Hill, brother Hobert White, grand children Angela (Donnie) Baker, Wendy Kucera, Matt (Geni) Hill, Erik (Hallie) Olson, Andy Howe, Karen (Kelly) Wilson, eight great grand children and two great great grand children. Family and friends are invited to sign Maxine’s book at www.bonnersferryfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Bonners Ferry Funeral Home.