Maxine Mertens, age 86, died Thursday, May 24, 2007 at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids following a sudden illness.
     Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 AM, on Saturday, May 26, 2007 at Phillips Funeral Home Chapel in Keystone with Father Keith L. Birch officiating.  Interment will be held at Calvary Hill Cemetery in Fulton, IL at a later date.  Friends may call at the funeral home from 4 to 7 PM on Friday where a Vigil Service will begin at 5:30 P.M, conducted by Father David Ambrosy.  A memorial Fund has been established for the Schroeder Library in Keystone, the Keystone First Responders and the Keystone Care Center.
     Maxine was born January 16, 1921 near Miles, IA to Ralph and Rose (Hickey) Chamberlain.  Following graduation from high school she attended Cedar Rapids Business College.  For over fifty years, Maxine served her clients as an income tax preparer and bookkeeper.
     She was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Van Horne, the Keystone American Legion Auxiliary. the National, State and Local Bowling Association, and the Keystone Business Club.  She served as Treasurer of the Schroeder Public Library.
     She is survived by her step-children, Jerry (Terry) Mertens of Preston, and Judy (Doug) Craft of Decorah; her step-grandchildren, TroyMertens of Iowa City, Tracy Deardorf of Cedar Rapids, Shirlee Taylor of Clear Lake, and Kevin Nelson of Decorah; nine step-great-grandchildren; her sister, Madonna Forcier of Tucson, AZ; and her brother, Gerald (Josephine) Chamberlain of Sabula,    
     Maxine was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Ray H. Jammer and John W. Mertens; her sisters, Marian Robison, and Marjory Goettsch; and her brothers, Robert and William Chamberlain