Maxine Tonn

August 29, 1946 to August 27, 2026

Maxine Mary Tonn devoted her life to helping children. From raising her two children: Derek Tonn

(Becky, Coos Bay, Oregon) and Anji Palmer (Princeton, Minnesota); to helping her granddaughters: Alisha (Anji), Abbey (Anji), Libby (Derek), and Eleanor (Derek); to helping her great-granddaughters: Scarlett (Abbey), Vivian (Abbey), and Amelia (Abbey), and great-grandson Sparrow (being raised by Anji); to the literally thousands of children she taught as an elementary school teacher (primarily first grade) in the Anoka-Hennepin School District (MN) and Princeton School District (MN), and as a substitute teacher in the Springfield School District (MN). Generations of students share fond memories of being in Mrs. Tonn's classroom.

Maxine also loved her life growing up on her parents' (Gaylord and Viola) farm near Monona, Iowa, with her four sisters Judith (George) Hass, Cheryl (Gary) Gann, Sandra (Arnold) Doi, and Laneva (Bob) Wynveen. Some of her favorite memories she would share from the farm were helping her dad with chores, as well as summer days spent in the woods and creek (pronounced "crick" if you are from northeast Iowa) on the northern edge of the property. Even though she left farming when she went to college (Northwestern College in Minnesota, then Tabor College in Kansas, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education), farming never really left her. She loved living in rural Minnesota, a stone's throw from fields of corn, alfalfa, or soybeans, for most of her life, and going back to her parents' farm in Iowa for many years until they preceded her in death.

She will be greatly missed, not only by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, but by all her nieces and nephews: Nancy (Cheryl), David (Cheryl), Jessie (Laneva), Faith (Laneva), Chad

(Sandy), Shari (Sandy) ...and all of the Tonn family (Richard, ex-husband); Gary and Nina, with their children Peter, Philip, Bekah, and Paul (preceded her in death); Bev and Jerry, with their children Todd and Matthew; and Dwight and Shirley, with their children Maria and Josh.

Her lifelong friends from her days in college and from teaching, along with all of her extended family from the Schlitters and Tonns (and Andersons), are far too many to share by name. But know she loved so many of you, and we know you loved her.

Maxine's wish was to have a small memorial service with only immediate family rather than a funeral, with her remains being buried near her parents in the Monona (Iowa) cemetery. We want to honor her wishes, which we know probably leaves things feeling "undone," by not allowing everyone the chance to say goodbye in the way they might prefer. If you wish to share any thoughts, memories, or condolences, please feel free to send them to either her son or daughter:

Derek Tonn

776 Sanford Street

Coos Bay, OR 97420

datonn@mapformation.com

Anji Palmer

8218 349th Ave NW

Princeton MN 55371

apalmerr@icloud.com