Mary Maxine Bird

Mary Maxine Reischling Bird, 95, formerly of Monmouth, Illinois, passed away on Friday, January 2, 2026 at the Oak Lane Nursing Home, Stronghurst, Illinois.

She was born September 14, 1930 in Monmouth, Illinois, the daughter of Otto J. And Emma Jane (Armstrong) Reischling.

Maxine was united in marriage to Dwight E. Bird on October 12, 1963, becoming stepmother to his children, Wesley, Timothy, and Sara Bird-Johnson. Dwight, Wesley, and Sara proceeded her in death as did her siblings Ed, Marie Smith, Lucille, Martha Gladson, Paul, and Dorothy Nelson.

Maxine worked for twenty years as a seamstress at Formfit and for fifteen years as a custodian for Monmouth public schools, retiring from there in 1993. She loved to play cards, work on jigsaw puzzles, travel, visit casinos, and she especially enjoyed her years living on Lake Warren.

She is survived by one son, Timothy (Darlene) Bird of Branson, Missouri; her former daughter-in-law, Meleia Bird of Monmouth, Illinois; three grandsons, Daniel (Sarah) Bird of Moline, Illinois, Matthew (Bianca) Bird of Woodridge, Illinois, and Scott Lawson of Wildwood, Missouri; one granddaughter, Jackie (Christian) Prescott of Green Valley, Illinois and numerous great and great-great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

Cremation rites have been accorded. A celebration of life will be planned at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Maxine’s honor to Oak Lane Nursing Home, 604 Oakwood Dr., Stronghurst, Illinois 61480. She will be buried with her husband, Dwight at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Monmouth, Illinois. Arrangements have been entrusted to Thomas Funeral Home and Crematory, Oquawka, Illinois. Online expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.watsonthomas.com.