Ollie Maxine was known to her immediate family and friends as Maxine. She was born in Anderson, McDonald County, Missouri. Her parents, Olney Sherwood and Ila Alta (Clark) Sherwood, were farmers. Maxine was raised on the family farm located on what is now called Bunch Road some 1 and ¾ miles from Anderson. She had an older brother, Wesley Troy, and two younger brothers, Richard Clifford and William Paul. She attended the local one-room elementary school near her home, and her best friend was Esther (Hopkins) Brinson. Born one month apart, as children, they were known as "The Twins." They attended high school together in Anderson, and as young women, they went on double dates together. They kept in touch throughout their lives until Esther's premature death (1973) from ovarian cancer. Other important people in Maxine's early years were her cousins, Ervin Sherwood and Martha Owens. Ervin was like a protective older brother, and Martha regarded Maxine as her big sister. Maxine's youngest brother (Bill) was 8 years her junior, and she took a keen interest in helping to raise him. At about age 14, she narrowly missed death from a burst appendix. From the infection, she lost an ovary, and there were doubts that she could ever bear children. She eventually recovered fully and completed high school at Anderson in 1932. After high school, Maxine worked in Anderson and boarded with the parents of William (Billie) Greer. Billie gained fame under the stage name of Dabbs Greer as a character actor. His best remembered role was the Rev Robert Alden in the TV series, "Little House on the Prairie." Maxine remembered Billie as being jolly and fun loving. One of their pranks was to go in his Model A Ford and chase the local fire engine when it was called out. Maxine had aspirations to train as a hair dresser, but she instead married and started her family. She met her future husband, Alvin Fay Christensen, while cleaning out an attic for her employer in Anderson. Al popped his head up into the attic to survey the scene for some electrical work. This was in late summer of 1936. They married 4 months later in a civil ceremony in Benton County, Arkansas on Dec 3, 1936. Al was 27. Maxine was 22. They took up residence in Anderson. Al managed the local cinema. Maxine took on the role of homemaker, and she helped with ticket sales at the cinema. They had three children, Alvin Paul (b. Nov 3, 1938), James Edward (b. Jul 18, 1941), William Dean (b. Sep 26, 1944), whom they called Paul, Eddie and Dean. Maxine lived in a variety of places as her husband pursued work opportunities. In addition to Anderson, Missouri, she resided in Arcadia, Nebraska, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Mission, Raymondville and Austin, Texas, Ord, Nebraska, Adel and Minburn, Iowa. In April,1957, the family moved to Carpinteria, California. They built a new home on Toro Canyon Road, and Maxine lived there with her husband and family for 42 years. After her youngest son, Dean, finished high school, she took up a position at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, working her way up from patient support to ward clerk to despatcher for the pathology department. Two years after her husband's death, she sold the family home and moved to Florence, Oregon (1999) to be near her youngest brother, William Paul (Bill) Sherwood. Her oldest son, Paul, resided with her in Florence until his death in 2008. She was well known for her great sense of humor, optimism, courage, determination, work ethic, organizational skills, kindness and generosity. She nursed her youngest son, Dean, during a year-long illness, until his death in 1986. He died in her loving care in her home in Carpinteria. She cared for her husband Al for a prolonged period of 10 years of ill health and infirmity until his death in 1997. He too died in her home in her loving care. And she attended to her oldest son, Paul, for an extended period of ill health until his death in 2008 in Florence, Oregon. After Paul's death, she reflected upon her life and said that her major definite purpose in life had been one of a care giver. Maxine never smoked, drank alcohol or even drank coffee or tea. It wasn't for religious reasons. She didn't like the taste. But she loved Coca-Cola, Seven Up, fresh stone fruit and white bread. She was a keen gardener. Her African violets and her lawn and garden shrubs were the envy of all visitors. Among her favorite sayings were, "If you lie with dogs, you get fleas," and "Hold your head high even if your butt does drag!" To the end, she did her own housekeeping, shopping, cooking and gardening. She died on Jul 12, 2014, 2 months and 12 days after her 100th birthday, at rest, in her favorite recliner chair, in her own home. Her remains were cremated and buried next to her son's, Alvin Paul Christensen, in Pacific Sunset Cemetery, Florence, Oregon. There is also a family memorial with her name (O. Maxine Christensen) and the names of her husband and two of her three sons in Carpinteria Cemetery, California.