Grace Ellen Maxwell

January 30, 1948 — April 08, 2026

Grace Maxwell

Service Details

Grace Ellen Maxwell, age 78, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at Kavanagh House in Des Moines with her loving husband by her side.

Grace was born January 30, 1948, in Des Moines, Iowa to Harry Ralph Peterson and Bertha Esther (Hall) Peterson. She was raised in the Des Moines area, and also lived in England and Texas, where she was a successful realtor. She was lastly employed by Principal Financial as an Administrator prior to her retirement at age 62. During the 1970s, she enjoyed being an usher for the Iowa Oaks Minor League Baseball Team, which later became the Iowa Cubs.

Grace’s greatest love was time spent with her family. She enjoyed the simple things in life, like going for a long ride, and she was an animal lover. Grace had a wonderful sense of humor. She was also an avid Kansas City Chiefs fan.

She is survived by her husband of 31 years, Jim Maxwell; daughter, Jessica (Jake) Klein; and her granddaughters, Kaily, Sarah, and Lucy.

Grace was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Bertha Peterson; son, Timothy James Olson; and her brother, Frank Albert Peterson.

A memorial visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street, Des Moines.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Kavanagh House in appreciate of their compassionate care of Grace, or to the Animal Rescue League to honor her love of animals.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.