Oreane Mitchum Maynard
Age 94, of Brownsburg/Avon, passed away the evening of August 1, 2014 at Hendricks Regional Health in Danville, IN. Oreane was born December 27, 1919 in Columbia, SC to Melvin and Trudie Mitchum. She married her beloved Ray on May 29, 1944. He preceded her in death on September 7, 2012. She is survived by her daughter, Rae Anne (Jim) Hamp of Peoria, IL; son, Kenneth (Tami) of Brownsburg; grandson, Mitch, of Sherwood, AR; granddaughter, Renee, of Brownsburg; brother, M.O. (Norma) Mitchum; 4 nieces, a nephew, 3 grand dogs, and a grand cat. After graduation from Columbia High School, she was employed as a secretary for a number of years in Columbia, SC, Red Bank, NJ, and Schenectady, NY, when she or she and Ray resided in those cities. After the children were born while they lived in the Philadelphia area, she devoted herself to them and excelled in her role as a mother. She was, without question, the steady guiding force whose spiritual and moral compass led the family as they lived in PA, then IL, and finally IN. She spent most of the last 10 years as Ray's dedicated caregiver while he battled Alzheimer's-a task not for the meek. A quiet woman of amazing strength, she possessed a great sense of humor, enjoyed chatting on the phone, playing bridge, and attributed her longevity to the breakfast of champions, Diet Coke and Fritos. A memorial service will be held at 11:00am Tuesday, August 5 at her church, the Lebanon Church of Christ, 1204 Indianapolis Ave., Lebanon, IN 46052, following a private interment. The family requests memorial contributions be made to her church; her husband's alma mater, Clemson University, P.O. Box 1889, Clemson, SC 29603; or one of her favorite veteran's charities, the USO, P.O. Box 96860, Washington, D.C. 20077.