Maxine Smith

Maxine E. Smith, 89, of Port Orchard, WA died at Family First Adult Home in Gig Harbor on March 30, 2009. She was born Maxine Eleanor Therkelsen on February 10, 1920 in Tacoma, WA to Albert and Grayce (Allison) Therkelsen. She was from pioneer Vashon Island families and moved to the island as a young girl in 1928. She graduated from Vashon High School in 1937. She attended secretarial college in Seattle and at her first job in Seattle in 1939 met the love of her life, Victor W. “Bill” Smith. Bill and Maxine were married on May 24, 1941 in Seattle.  Bill and Maxine made their home in Port Orchard and raised three children, Diane, David and Bradley. She worked for 20 years at the Department of Social and Health Services in Bremerton, retiring in 1980. In her retirement Maxine enjoyed genealogy, traveling, reading, volunteering and her everyday walks, but most of all she lived for her family. She was a member of Elim Lutheran Church for over 50 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, in 2006 just before their 65th wedding anniversary.  Surviving are her daughter Diane (Joe) Hubert of Port Orchard, sons David (Pam) Smith of Port Orchard and Bradley (Stacy Peabody) Smith of Olalla; sister Virginia Griffith of Bovey, Minnesota; grandchildren Andrea Langley of Port Orchard, Susan (Steve) Newsom of Tacoma, Stacy (Steve) Hudgins of Port Orchard, Keith (Lori) Smith of Spokane and Sophinn Smith of Olalla; great-grandchildren Kevin, Ashley and Megan Hudgins, Sarah and Jack Langley, Joey and Scotty Newsom and Ellie Smith; and niece Lynda Griffith of Bovey, Minnesota.  We are eternally grateful to the staffs of Stafford Suites in Port Orchard, Family First Adult Family Home in Gig Harbor and Franciscan Hospice for the wonderful and loving care they provided our mother and grandmother for the past several years.  A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 4, 2009 at 12:00 noon at Elim Lutheran Church in Port Orchard. Memorial donations may be made to Franciscan Hospice, 2901 Bridgeport Way W., Tacoma, WA 98466 or the Elim Lutheran Church Endowment Fund, PO Box 456, Manchester, WA 98353