88

5 years

Maxine smiles when she recalls the day she graduated as valedictorian of her high school class in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. Growing up as the youngest of five children and a bit of a surprise to her parents, she always felt like she had something to prove. Standing on that stage, delivering her speech to her classmates and family, was one of the proudest moments of her young life. Another memory that stands out vividly is meeting her husband, James, and the adventure of starting their life together in the early 1960s. “We didn’t have much,” she often says, “but we had ambition, laughter, and love, and that was more than enough.”

Though she might humbly brush off the word accomplishments, Maxine has quite a few to her name. Professionally, she built a successful and respected career as an administrative assistant, first supporting local businesses and later the United States Postal Service, where she worked for more than two decades. She is proud of the example she set for her children, showing them that dedication, intelligence, and grace can take you far. And personally, her proudest achievement has always been her family: her three children, her four grandchildren, and now her very first great-grandchild. “Watching them grow and thrive,” she says, “feels like my life’s greatest reward.”

Maxine’s guiding philosophy is simple but powerful: always laugh. Through every stage of her life, the joys, the challenges, the unexpected turns, she’s found that laughter is what keeps everything in perspective. “No matter how hard a day might be,” she says with a smile, “if you can find something to laugh about, you’re going to be okay.” Her sense of humor has carried her through motherhood, marriage, and even long days at the office, and it’s something she’s passed on to her children and grandchildren. For Maxine, laughter isn’t just a reaction, it’s a way of living, a reminder to find joy in the everyday and to never take life too seriously.

Music has been a lifelong companion for Maxine. From playing clarinet in her high school band to spending quiet evenings at the piano, her love of melody has been a constant thread through the years. She’s also an avid reader, the kind who can lose herself for hours in a good novel, and she’s always had a curiosity about the world, whether through travel, history, or long walks that give her time to think. In the 1970s, she became deeply passionate about women’s rights and was proud to see the progress made during that time. “It felt like the world was finally opening up for women,” she reflects, “and I wanted my daughters and son to believe they could do anything.”

Maxine’s story is one of quiet strength, steady perseverance, and deep love. She often says she was lucky to have lived through so much change from the days when women’s roles were narrowly defined to a time when her own granddaughters can dream without limits. “If I’ve learned anything,” she says, “it’s that kindness, curiosity, and hard work will always take you where you need to go. And never underestimate the power of music, laughter, and a good book.”