Obituary of Maxine Frey

FREY, Maxine Louise (Sweeney, Griffith) age 83 of Lebanon, Ohio passed peacefully Friday morning, July 1, 2011 at Lebanon Country Manor. Maxine was born to Christian Monroe Sweeney and Elsie Renora (Jones) Sweeney October 26, 1927 in Lebanon, Ohio. When she was six years old, she went to school in the grey brick school in Lebanon, Ohio. She had an older sister Irene (Sweeney) Barber of Vandalia, Ohio and an older brother Marion L. Sweeney of Ellington, MO... both preceded her in death. Surviving her is a younger brother Ronald M. Sweeney of Red Lion, Ohio Her family moved to Dayton, Ohio when her father's work relocated them there. Maxine graduated from Wilbur Wright High School in 1945. While attending high school, she worked part-time in the evenings after school at Findley's Clothing Store. After graduating, she worked at several manufacturing jobs. Maxine met her first husband, Cary Shelah Griffith, Jr. and they married. The couple had three children. Their first child, Christina Renora Griffith died in 1950. Their second child, Michael Cary Griffith survives Maxine and lives in Kentucky. Their third child, David Lynn Griffith died at birth. This marriage ended in divorce in November of 1953. After the divorce, Maxine went to work at the National Cash Register Company (N.C.R.). In 1960, she met Kenneth E. Frey and they were together for 13 years before they were married on August 4, 1973 by Reverend Harvey Hahn at the Otterbein United Methodist Church in Dayton, Ohio. They had no children from this marriage, but they had many good, faithful and loving years together. Kenneth preceded Maxine in death on March 31, 2008. Maxine always liked to remember the happy and loving times they had together. Maxine liked to crochet and do things to help others. She and her husband, Kenneth enjoyed fishing, hunting and picnicking. She also loved her mother, father sister and two brothers and her only living child Michael. Maxine had two grandchildren, Donovan Michael Griffith and Brittany Griffith and several great-grandchildren. She never got to spend much time with them as they were growing up, but she did love them. Maxine always hoped and prayed there would be peace in the world. She believed in our "Lord God" and "Jesus Christ" our "Savior". Even though she did not attend church regularly, she had lots of love and faith. In 1990, Kenneth gave Maxine a birthday card that had the following verse inside: The silly things we laugh about, the earnest talks we have, the gentleness within your eyes, the tender caring there.... all this means so much to me, much more than I can say, for you're my wife, my love, my friend- I love you more each day! Maxine held the same feelings for Kenneth. Friends may call on the family Thursday, July 7, 2011 from 11:00am until 1:00pm at the Stine Kilburn Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at the funeral home at 1:00pm with Chaplain Hal Ward officiating. Burial will follow in the Lebanon Cemetery, Lebanon, Ohio.