Maxine in the mid-1930s. (Photo courtesy
of the Reed family)
Holding the hand of Frank, her husband of
71 years, Maxine Vivian McGary Reed, 97, died early Sunday
morning, Jan. 25, 2009, in Anchorage.
Her family wrote, "She left this life to
find what lies beyond our realm."
A service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at
the First Presbyterian Church, of which she was a member, at
616 W. 10th Ave.
Born Nov. 20, 1911, in Spokane, Wash., to
Elizabeth deJarnette and James Dellinger McGary, she was
voted that city's most beautiful baby the next year.
"Her beauty continued throughout her
life, not just physically, but in spirit as well," her
family recalled. "Bright, bossy and beautiful, she helped
her schoolteacher mother rear younger brothers, Willard and
Dale. She attended Ilwaco, Wash., schools and then moved to
Seattle to work in the distribution department of The
Seattle Times while attending Wilson Business College. She
then transferred to the University of Washington, where she
became the assistant to Miss Raitt, the chair of the Home
Economics department, until she graduated in 1937 with a
Bachelor of Science degree, summa cum laude.
"She was inducted into the Sigma Xi Honor
Society prior to graduation. That was also the year she met
an Alaska classmate, Frank Metcalf Reed Sr., and following a
whirlwind romance they were married the same week they
graduated, at her Alpha Gamma Delta sorority house. For a
fun "read" of the circumstances of their meeting and early
life, go to the Sharon Bushell "Alaskana" article at
www.roadtunesmedia.com/article/reed_maxine.html.
"Maxine's greatest beauty was in her
generous nature. She became active in community affairs in
Anchorage, adopting her new home wholeheartedly. She served
on the Mental Health board, was a member of the Anchorage
Women's Club, the Cook Inlet Historical Society, the
Providence Hospital Guild, the Anchorage PTA, the Pioneers
of Alaska Auxiliary, Anchorage Federated Charities, the
Anchorage Lions Club Auxiliary, the Salvation Army Advisory
Board and other important clubs and charities. She was
remarkable in her willingness to share the fact that she was
a survivor of two radical mastectomies in her 30s, hoping
she could encourage other women to be their own medical
advocates. She has enjoyed the sisterhood of PEO for many
years. She has for years said she is proudest, however, of
having been with her good friend Lile Rasmuson, the founder
of the Cotillion Club, which has for 50 years continued its
goal of encouraging Anchorage teens to learn to dance, and
then to enjoy it as part of their teen years.
"Maxine's greatest sorrow was the sudden
death of her son, Frank Jr., in 2007. We hope they are now
together, exploring the skies in "Denali," his favorite
hot-air balloon."
Maxine is survived by her deeply beloved
husband, Frank; and daughter, Pauline, who was also at her
bedside on Sunday. Her six grandchildren are Shelley
Elizabeth Reed Buhler, D. Scott Reed Mackay, and Carrie Reed
Scull (Pauline's children) and Tracy Reed Bauck, Travis
Reed, and Ryan Reed (Frank Jr.'s children), as well as nine
great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Stephanos, Samantha, Sophia,
Levi, Lauren, Austin, Henry and Nikki. She was close to her
sister-in-law, Phyllis McGary, and her nephew, John
McGary.
The family is grateful for the many years
of loving care given to Maxine by Yolanda de la Cruz, as
well as the staff at Providence Extended Care, who made this
passage less difficult for her family and friends by their
giving natures.
The family requests that in lieu of
flowers any donations be directed to Maxine's favorite
charities. Those include The American Cancer Society, The
Anchorage Lions Club, The Anchorage YMCA, her PEO Chapter
and Medic One in Seattle.
Interview by SHARON BUSHELL
(Published: November 16, 2003)
Frank and Maxine Reed, with their dog
Clark and a caged bird, prepare to leave Anchorage in 1937
to live in Eklutna. The bird escaped when they got to
Eklutna.(Photo courtesy of the Reed family)
There is only one Maxine Reed; she is
like no other. You only need meet Maxine, and if she favors
you (I think she favors most people), she will urge you into
her home with motions of hands and a deep, throaty
voice.
Maxine wastes no words. Always
articulate, always with a question, always with an idea; her
every comment is well thought out. Once inside the Reed
home, you are ushered into the kitchen or the living room,
where you and Maxine then hold forth on whatever your
business concerns. In my case, it was to hear a bit of her
life story.
The Reeds' daughter, Pauline, was there,
as was Maxine's husband, Frank. There was quite a bit of
hubbub going on, as guests were expected for dinner and it
was closing in on late afternoon.
Maxine, feeling a bit under the weather,
was stationed in an easy chair. After hugs and questions
about my trip up the Kenai, the condition of the road, my
family, etc., we got down to work. Within a short time, Mary
Jean McManamin and LaRue Hellenthal dropped by to say hello
to their old friend. With four women crowded around, all
eager to hear Maxine's stories, there was frequent laughter,
much of it loud and long, so that Frank had to continually
leave his desk to join in the fun. -- Sharon Bushell
I was born in Spokane, Washington, in
1911. My dad was quite a brilliant man who could not tie
himself to an everyday routine job. Consequently, my mother
-- with three children -- returned to teaching. She truly
loved teaching, and her students loved her.
I graduated from Ilwaco High School at
the mouth of the Columbia River. I then attended Wilson
Modern Business College, finishing the secretarial course in
a year. For the next six years I attended the University of
Washington nearly full time.
Life on campus was great fun. I pledged
Alpha Gamma Delta, joining a high school friend. After four
years, I moved to a nice boardinghouse where my brother
lived.
Betty Benson, my longtime friend, was
being married to Harold Runstad from Petersburg, and I was
to be a bridesmaid. On Saturday, I picked up my beautiful,
dramatic gown and returned home to try it on. Suddenly, the
doorbell downstairs rang. I opened the door to see ... guess
who? Frank Reed. He was inquiring as to whether he and his
friends from next door could join the boarding
arrangement.
Immediately thereafter, he called his
Juneau friend Dick Radelett and suggested that Dick come for
dinner at the boardinghouse because there was a beautiful,
tall girl that would be just right for him. When Dick didn't
show, Frank said to Bill Chandler, "I guess I'll have to
marry her."
One sunny football Saturday, I was
studying with my window open when I saw Frank and Bill
leaving. I called out, "Have a good time." They urged me to
join them. I said I was meeting a girlfriend later. Frank
answered, "Well, if you won't come with us, will you at
least marry me?" I told him, "Beginning tonight, I'm calling
all bluffs."
At the end of the evening meal, as we
arose to leave, Frank said to me, "We've got that little
matter to take care of. I even invited the other Alaskans to
join us." I got into the spirit of things, suggesting we
drive to a place which had a familiar sign in its window
proclaiming, "A gift for every bride." We were curious as to
what that gift might be.
Finally, I had to admit I had an 8
o'clock date, and Frank and I agreed to think about this
marriage idea more the next day. After a hamburger at our
favorite place, Broomes, we returned to the boardinghouse,
where Frank and I sat in the car talking until 3 a.m.
Soon after I accepted his marriage
proposal, a couple of Frank's Alaska friends, Harry Bowman
and Asa Martin, came to see me dressed in heavy gear -- shoe
packs and hats with big brims and mosquito netting --
saying, "You'll have to get used to this, Maxine. This is
how we all dress in Alaska."
Frank and I were married just as we
finished college. We then came to Alaska, to Eklutna, where
Frank was stationed as an operator with the power plant, of
which his father was president. We really enjoyed living at
Eklutna. Those were wonderful years. I loved Alaska right
away, as I had been told again and again I would.
Frank was transferred to the power plant
in Anchorage, and shortly after that he was approached to
apply for a commission in the Navy. They needed someone who
knew the city, and of course Frank had grown up here; his
parents had owned the Anchorage Hotel. He remained in the
Navy for almost four years.
Anchorage was and still is a town where
everybody pitches in when someone needs help. Being the new
kid in town and being the sort of person who enjoys
organizing things, someone suggested that I be given some
additional responsibility in terms of emergency situations.
Nothing major, you understand, just a background player,
helping behind the scenes.
One night there was quite a large fire on
Fourth Avenue, and my orders included supplying plenty of
fluids for the firefighters. I got in touch with a grocery
store owner, and he put together a box of liquids. We
borrowed a can opener from a nearby restaurant and sent the
box up to the fighting line. I understand that one of the
firemen opened a can and shouted, "Good grief! This is
grapefruit juice!" They were expecting beer!
I frequently got calls from people who
were seeking advice in the realm of social problems. I would
help them find resources in town or Outside, if necessary.
Either that or I knew someone who could. Through the years I
became quite involved with a wide range of things such as
the Mental Health Association and PTA.
One of the other PTA parents, Guy Burch,
and I were concerned for our children, because after a
certain time of evening, there wasn't much for kids to do --
no late movies or bowling or anything like that. So we
persuaded the PTA at West High School -- the only high
school then -- into sponsoring an all-night chaperoned
graduation party. It was very successful. All the parents
cooperated, and I think it led to a more open view of how we
could provide healthy entertainment for our children.
I think perhaps my biggest contribution
in Anchorage was in co-establishing and working with
Cotillion Club. It was a private group that organized
semiformal dances for members throughout the year. Many
middle-aged people who now live in Anchorage recall being
forced to take dance lessons in order to participate. I am
pleased to report that the Cotillion Club is still in
existence.
One time my friend Miriam Hilscher needed
help with a fund-raiser for Alaska Methodist University (now
Alaska Pacific University). They planned to raise money at a
dance by selling specially donated articles yet to be
determined. She needed more publicity and told me to put on
my boots and go to the city dump to select the mystery
auction items. I clomped around with the operator and picked
out various and sundry items, all functional junk.
Some kids had come with me, and we found
a trunk full of comic books, the covers of which had been
returned for credit. The dump operator delivered everything
to the hotel ballroom, and every item fetched a good price,
even the fire truck fenders. We also auctioned the comic
books, so the whole experience was a complete success and a
lot of fun. I ended up buying the trunk, which I dearly
loved and is now treasured by Frank Jr.'s family.
One time a close friend told me, "Maxine,
I've never seen you take on a project that wasn't a total
success." I thought about it a day or two, then called her
and said, "You know, it's not me that makes these things
work. I only take on a project if it is truly needed. Once
you know that the need is there, it becomes easy, because
there are always good people to help you."
My friends tell me I should mention my
attic, which apparently has gotten rather famous over the
years. It seemed that whenever someone needed to have a
purple sash or a feather boa or a hat with flowers, it was
always "Let's ask Maxine; I'll bet she as it in her attic.
She has everything up there."
I've been trying for months to get the
attic cleaned out, but every time I bring two things down I
take three up, so -- just like my life -- it will probably
always be full.
Sharon Bushell lives and writes in Homer. Her books, "We
Alaskans" and "We Alaskans II," feature her stories about
Alaska pioneers that have appeared in the Daily News. For
more information, visit her Web site at
www.wealaskans.com.