Maxine Mae Noller

Maxine Mae Noller Tipton, 86, of Tipton and Vinton, Iowa, passed away peacefully with her daughters at her side on March 7, 2026, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

Born on June 28, 1939, in Independence, Iowa, to Carl and Carlotta Butterfield, Maxine graduated from Englewood High School in Englewood, Colorado, in 1957. That same year, she met Wendell James Noller, and three weeks later they were engaged. They married on January 9, 1958, and shared 52 loving years together until Wendell’s passing from cancer in 2010. Their marriage was blessed with three children: Carla, Wendell James Jr., and Cathy. Maxine and Wendell made their home in Garrison and Vinton, Iowa.

In 1979, Maxine graduated with honors from Kirkwood Community College with an Administrative Assistant degree. She devoted nearly 25 years to her work as a school secretary at Woodrow Wilson School in Cedar Rapids and Tilford School in Vinton. After retirement, she and Wendell enjoyed traveling the country, particularly through Colorado, in their Winnebago camper. They were often joined on these adventures, along with WIT Rallies and winters in Texas, by her sister Barb and brother-in-law Charles.

An accomplished pianist and accordion player, Maxine generously shared her musical talents with her church and community. She cherished the Rocky Mountains in autumn, bird watching, the music of the Grand Ole Opry, sewing, and gardening. Above all, she took great joy in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, attending their school events, sewing Halloween costumes for them, and taking them on camping trips and visits to national parks and museums. Her family will always remember the thoughtful birthday cards and handwritten letters filled with encouragement and Bible verses that she sent to loved ones. A woman of deep faith, Maxine loved the Lord and was never hesitant to share that love with those she held dear.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Carlotta Butterfield, her husband Wendell James Noller, her sister Barbara and brother-in-law Charles Sumner, and her brother Dale Butterfield. She is survived by her siblings Courtland, Chet, and Hazel, her three children, her grandchildren, and her many great-grandchildren.