DeShawna Maxey, a volunteer at numerous religious and charitable organizations in Bowling Green and a candidate in this year’s race for the Bowling Green City Commission, died last week at the age of 43.

Maxey was originally from Horse Cave and graduated from Caverna High School in 1999. She moved to Bowling Green to attend Western Kentucky University, according to her obituary.

Maxey began volunteering with Habitat for Humanity of Bowling Green/Warren County in 2016 and worked with it until 2022, according to her obituary.

In an interview with the Daily News in March, Maxey said Habitat gave her a house in 2020.

“Dee spent her entire life as an overcomer,” her obituary stated. “While she ran an uphill battle, she never quit trying. She didn’t want anyone to be without food or shelter so she welcomed them into her own home.”

Maxey worked at EZ Liquors in Bowling Green for the last three years.

Maxey’s campaign for the city commission this year was her first political run. Maxey told the Daily News a large focus of her campaign was bringing attention to the west side of Bowling Green, where she lived and worked.

“It’s time for somebody from the west side to stand up and say ‘we’re not all drug addicts, we’re not all drug dealers, we’re not all homeless,’ ” Maxey said in the interview. “I’m just tired of the negative conversation when anybody mentions the west side of the city.”

First Christian Church will hold a memorial service for Maxey at 11 a.m. Thursday.