Mayme M. Kerbox

Mayme Kerbox was born on October 27, 1899, on a farm in rural southern Indiana near Tennyson. Her life filled one and touched two other centuries. Having lived such a long life her warm spirit and caring manner was known to many. Her parents were William Perigo and Edna Byers Perigo. Up until the eighth grade she was called Maymie, but her teacher that year started calling her Mayme, and it stuck. It sounded more grown up and Mayme liked that. Later, she took the interurban to Boonville where she attended business college. Mayme married Reuben F. Kerbox in 1918 in her parent's home and moved to Indianapolis. They met while Reuben was visiting her father on business. After William Perigo's death Edna was remarried to Guy Ferguson. William's parents were Mr. and Mrs. Charles Perigo. Edna's parents were Mr. and Mrs. George Byers of Tennyson, Indiana. Mayme had a son, William "Bill" Edward Kerbox, born May 25, 1924, and a daughter Betty Kerbox Buchanan, born July 10, 1922. Bill, who had been in his father's insurance business for a few years, moved to Hawaii in the late 1960s. She and Reuben were part of a group that started a Methodist Church at 51st and College Avenue. That church later merged with Meridian Street United Methodist Church. Her faith was strong, and at one point she was the oldest living member of the church. She was a member of the Nettie Ransford Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star (today known as the Millersville Chapter). She was a member of the Goodwill Service Guild and the Marion County Historical Society. Reuben owned a successful insurance agency that was located on 46th Street a few blocks west of Keystone Avenue. His son William was in the business before he moved with his sons to Hawaii.When Reuben died in 1976 she began what became an annual trip to Hawaii at Christmastime. For the next fifteen years she had a wonderful holiday each year with her son and his family. Mayme and Reuben lived for many years at 4923 N. Carrollton Avenue in Indianapolis. The couple moved to Marcy Village apartments in the 1970s. After Reuben died in 1976, Mayme lived there alone until she moved to Lincoln Lodge at American Village on 54th Street around 1990. She celebrated her 100th birthday there in 1999. A year or so later her health deteriorated and she moved to Hoosier Village Retirement Community for better care until her death on December 29, 2001. She impressed everyone with her determined spirit and strong sense of independence. Over the years she made new friends with younger people where she lived and through church connections. While in her sixties she decided to take painting classes at Holiday Park on Spring Mill Road. Her numerous landscapes and still life oil paintings leave a special artistic legacy to her family. Mayme was blessed with five grandsons who all thought she was extremely special: William Kerbox, Robbie Kerbox, Burton "Buzzy" Kerbox, Brian Buchanan, and Bruce Buchanan. As of January of 2002, she had six great grandchildren.

Family Tree:
Spouse:	Reuben F. Kerbox
Children:	Betty Kerbox Bill Kerbox
Grandchildren:	None listed
Parents:	William and Edna Perigo
Siblings:	None listed
Grandparents:	None listed