Frances Maxine Gerber Christian

Frances Maxine Gerber CHRISTIAN Age 100. Passed away March 9, 2011, in Des Moines from complications of Alzheimer's disease. Born Dec 26, 1910 in Isabel, SD to Ethel Wheelock and Martin Gerber, she spent most of her adult life in the Seattle area. She was a graduate of Queen Anne High School and of the University of Washington, where she majored in fine arts. She earned her teaching credentials at Western Washington University and taught elementary school for a short time before becoming a full-time wife and mother. Maxine was a long-time member of the League of Women Voters and the alumnae of Lambda Rho art honorary and was a Head Start volunteer for several years. She also pursued art and creative writing. Maxine and her husband enjoyed entertaining their friends and family, hiking and back-packing, trips to many destinations in the US and Canada and a trip to New Zealand. They also traveled in Alaska, where she had spent part of her childhood, and she and a friend traveled to France and Switzerland. Preceding her in death were her sister Geraldine Potter, her son Philip, her husband of 72 years, Edgar, and two nephews. Survivors include her daughter Suzanne Sweek (John) of Arlington, TX, grandchildren Kassie Lancaster (Mike) and Jeremy Sweek (Amy), great grandchildren, Ryan, Jacob and Adam Lancaster and Sydney and Jonathan Sweek, all of Texas, and her daughter-in-law, Margarita Christian (Dennis Glines). A celebration of her life will be held April 9, at 2:00 p.m. at Wesley Homes Health Center, 1122 S. 216th, Des Moines. Memorials may be made to the Seattle Art Museum, 1300 1st Ave. 98101, or a charity of choice. At her request, her remains were donated to the ADRC for medical research. Inurnment will be at Evergreen Washelli.