Ellisville – Avis Maxine Vigna, 87, of rural Ellisville passed away at 6:34 a.m. on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, at Heartland Healthcare Center in Canton.
She was born May 23, 1929, the only child of William and Alberta (Hinman) Burgard, in rural Bardolph.
She started to school by walking a mile across the fields, with her two cousins, to the one-room country school, Hanson. In the spring, she and her parents moved to the Center community in Walnut Grove Township, McDonough County. She walked ¾ mile along a country road with neighbor children, first to the Center Country School until her first eight years of schooling were completed, and then ¾ mile to the Good Hope High School bus for four years.
She graduated from Good Hope High School on her birthday in May, 1946. In the fall of 1946, she enrolled in Western Illinois State Teachers College. She graduated from Western in July, 1949. At Western she was a member of the honorary fraternities: Kappa Delta Pi, Alpha Delta Tau, and Pi Omega Pi.
In the Center community, she was active in the Center United Brethren Church activities and the local 4-H Club.
In the fall of 1949, she began teaching in the Industry High School, which she did for eight years. On June 24, 1957, she and Anthony John Vigna of Ellisville were united in marriage in the Little Brown Church in the Vale in Nashua, IA. They farmed together in Fulton and McDonough Counties, living beside route 9, in the Midway area. Teno preceded his wife in death on February 4, 2008.
After her marriage, Mrs. Vigna taught six years at the Ellisville Junior High School. After retiring from full-time teaching, she substitute taught in the Valley and Cuba School Districts.
Mrs. Vigna has been a member of the Fulton and McDonough County Farm Bureaus for years. She was a member of the Fiatt Rebekah Lodge #799 until it recently joined with the Lewistown Rebekah Lodge. Several years ago she was honored for fifty years of membership. She had served as Noble Grand twice and as Recording Secretary for several years. Her mother-in-law, Maria Vigna, had been a charter member of the Fiatt Lodge.
Maxine has been an active member of the Fiatt Free Will Baptist Church since her marriage. She has served as the secretary-treasurer of the Sunday School for years.
She formerly was active in the Fulton Central Unit of the Home Bureau and then the Homemakers Extension Association.
In May of 2013, Maxine was honored by Deerfield Township, Fulton County, for serving as the Township Clerk for 41 years.
Mrs. Vigna is survived by one son, John (Crissy) Vigna of rural Ellisville; three grandchildren, Justin Vigna and Brittany (Bradley) Gray of rural Ellisville, and Christopher Vigna of Blue Springs, MO; and one great-granddaughter, Sophia Gray.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; all of her aunts and uncles; and some cousins.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 6, 2017, at Oaks-Hines Funeral Home in Canton, where visitation will be held Sunday afternoon from 2-4 p.m. Burial will follow at Fiatt Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
To view Maxine’s tribute video, or to leave online condolences, please visit www.oakshinesfuneralhome.com
