Mary "Molly" Joann Maxwell

Molly Maxwell July 2,1945 -August 16, 2025 Mary JoAnne "Molly" (Berry) Maxwell was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on July 2, 1945, to Gerald Lambert Berry and Frances Mary (Cretzmeyer) Berry. She joined her two older brothers, Jim and John. When she was 5 years old, the family moved to Waterloo, Iowa where she went to the Catholic grade school and graduated from Columbus High School in 1963. In 1966, she graduated from ST Mary's School of Nursing (The Mayo School of Nursing) in Rochester Minnesota. It was there she would make lifelong friendships with fellow nursing students and meet her husband Robert Patrick "Pat" Maxwell. Molly and Pat met on a blind date in the summer of 1965 and were married in Waterloo Iowa in 1968. They lived in Chicago from 1966 to 1970. During which Molly enrolled in the Neonatal Nursing program at Michael Reese Hospital. This would be her specialty for most of her career as a Registered Nurse. At the same time, Pat finished law school at Northwestern University and started his career as a poverty lawyer. From 1971 to 1977, they lived in Washington D.C. where Molly worked in a pediatrician's office and Pat worked as General Counsel to the National Legal Aid and Defender Association and the Executive Director of the D.C. Bar Association. Both of their children, Aimee Marie and Michael Patrick, were born in D.C. From 1978 to 1980, the family lived in Detroit, Michigan. Molly took care of the kids while Pat worked for the UAW setting up law offices for union members. In 1980 the family returned to Minnesota and Molly got a job at Minneapolis Children's Hospital as a neonatal nurse. She started as a bedside nurse in the NICU and later worked as research coordinator for neonatal studies that sought to improve health care for babies born prematurely. Molly retired from Children's after 30 years. After retirement she still practiced nursing by giving vaccinations during and after Covid. Molly's support and commitment to the nursing profession was deep and broad. She marched on the picket line to fight for better pay and working conditions for nurses. She was elected President of the Third District (Hennepin County) Nurses Association three times. She served as an elected delegate to the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) and the American Nurses Association (ANA) conventions for many years. She also worked as campaign chair for a number on friends seeking elected positions in ANA. When MNA determined that they were a union and could not have nonunion nurses as members, she invited a group of nursing friends to her home and in a series of meetings they created MNORN, Minnesota Organized Registered Nurses to advance the profession of nursing in Minnesota. MNORN now has over 2000 members. Molly loved to travel. She and Pat traveled all over the world often sharing these adventures with family and friends. She loved traveling with her grandson, Garett, and together they visited many national parks and museums in the U.S. and in Canada looking for dinosaur bones. She loved visiting Micheal and his spouse Anne-Marie in Los Angeles. She rode rollercoasters with grandson Finnian and bought dolls and read books to granddaughter Lila. The day she passed away she was scheduled to get on a plane for Scandinavia. She was a wonderful, beautiful, vibrant woman. She was loved by many and will be missed by all. Eden Prairie - Maxwell, Mary JoAnne "Molly" (Berry) age 80, left us on August 16, 2025. Molly was a neonatal nurse and advocate for her profession. Survived by her husband, Pat and children, Michael and Aimee, grandchildren, Garett, Finnian and Lila. Celebration of her life Sunday, Aug. 31, 12 noon - 4 PM at www.Washburn-McReavy.com Eden Prairie Chapel 952-975-0400 7625 Mitchell Rd (1 blk N of Hwy 5) Gathering will be live streamed at: https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTc1NTYy MDAwMzM3Njc0OCZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw== Molly Maxwell, instrumental to the formation of MNORN as the Minnesota member of the American Nurses Association, died unexpectedly earlier this month. Molly served as first vice president and was the third president of MNORN. She represented MNORN at the ANA Membership Assembly for several years. Prior to MNORN, Molly served as a district president for the Minnesota Nurses Association and as a trustee on the Minnesota Nurses Association Foundation. She attended the MNA House of Delegates for many years. Her clinical practice focused in pediatrics, especially neonatal. She worked in direct care in acute care settings as well as clinic settings. For 22 years she was the Neonatal Research Coordinator at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Molly had a deep and abiding love for nursing, which began when she was a student at St Mary's Hospital in Rochester MN and continued throughout her life. Molly worked tirelessly on behalf of nurses and our profession. She will be greatly missed. There will be a Celebration of Molly's Life on Sunday, August 31 from 12:00 Noon-4:00 PM Washburn-McReavy Eden Prairie Chapel 7625 Mitchell Road, Eden Prairie952-975-0400. The Gathering will be live streamed at https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTc1NTYyMDAwMzM3Njc0OCZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw== In lieu of flowers please donate to the Minnesota Nursing Peer Support Network, https://secure.givelively.org/donate/nurses-peer-support-network/support-the-nurses-peer-support-network Indicate that your donation is to honor Molly Maxwell by clicking on the "Dedicate this Donation" button on the donation page.

Tributes

Mary "Molly" Joann Maxwell

July 2, 1945 - August 16, 2025

Tributes

Mary "Molly" Joann Maxwell

July 2, 1945 - August 16, 2025

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