Edwin Maxwell Obituary

EDWIN CLINE "ED" MAXWELL
1/14/1908 ~ 5/2/2009

The Maxwell Family is celebrating the long and successful life of Edwin Cline "Ed" Maxwell who passed away at the age of 101 on Saturday, May 2, 2009. He is survived by his partner, Shirley Farrell; his son, Scott (Ann) Maxwell of Vancouver; four grandchildren, Darrin Maxwell (Michelle) of Minneapolis, MN; Amy Maxwell Lamb (Patrick) of Portland, Jenny Maxwell Ramirez (Mario) of Battle Ground, and Andrea Coop (Dr. Chris) and six great-grandchildren, Marin and Margot Maxwell of Minneapolis, MN; Max and Maya Ramirez of Battle Ground, WA.; and Maggie and Lauren Coop of Vancouver.

Born on January 14, 1908 in Aurora, Missouri, to contractor, George, and his wife, Bertha (Cline), Maxwell, the family moved in 1912 to Portland, Oregon. They called the Mt. Scott area home, where George was known for his commercial buildings and single family residences, until the Great Depression when the family moved to a farm on 88th Street in Vancouver, the site of what is now an industrial park. Ed and his siblings, all of whom preceded him in death, Helen Wagner (Al), Bonnie Kunsman (Jimmy) and Howard Maxwell (Geri), all got their start on that farm by helping one another save enough to move out on their own.

Ed found his first steady job as a route driver for the Cherry City Baking Co. (Master Bread) in Salem, allowing him to marry his fiancé of six years, Gertrude "Gertie" Meyer in 1938. They had a son, Scott in 1942, and moved to Vancouver in 1949 to become the owner/operators of the Coast-to-Coast Hardware Store in the Minnehaha area of Vancouver where they worked as a team for 23 years.

After retiring in 1972 and transitioning the store to Scott, Ed and Gertie traveled throughout the United States and Mexico in their motor home, wintering in Arizona. Ed renewed his Spanish speaking skills sometime in his later years and loved to converse with Hispanic people. Somewhere in a small Mexican town, a festival is probably still being held in his honor. Sadly, after 55 years of marriage, Gertie passed away from Alzheimer's in 1993.

Always looking forward, Ed made new friends at The Luepke Center and resumed traveling to the East Coast of the U.S., up the Al-Can Highway to Alaska, to Arizona, Mexico and Hawaii. He even went crocodile "hunting" on the Amazon. In 1997, he met Shirley Farrell, and they formed a partnership that would last the rest of his life. They enjoyed dancing, playing games, getting together with friends, and of course, traveling.

Last year the family honored Ed on his 100th birthday with a party at The Elks, where he enjoyed being Vancouver's "oldest" Elk, having been a member for 55 years. More than 200 came to celebrate with Ed at a memorable afternoon "dinner dance." He was a devoted husband, companion, father, grandfather, great- grandfather, uncle, and friend, who kept a positive attitude and an enthusiastic appreciation and enjoyment of life.

Thanks to Shirley Farrell, the staff of Orchards Village, and the nurses of Hospice Southwest for their compassionate care during the last months of his life. Services are being held on Friday, May 8, 2009, at 12:30 p.m. at Evergreen Memorial Gardens, 1101 NE 112th Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98664. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Hospice Southwest, Hospice Southwest, PO Box 1600, Vancouver, WA 98668.

Please sign the Guest Book at www.columbian.com/obits.