Maxine Baldwin

05/03/1921 - 03/17/2011

BALDWIN,
D. Maxine
KEIZER, OR. - Maxine Baldwin,
who showed much kindness and brought joy to so many during a life well lived, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, March 17, 2011. She was 89.
She was born to Fred and Della Carter on May 3, 1921, in Sandpoint, ID., and moved to Spokane, WA., as a child. She married John P. "Jack" Baldwin in 1942 -" the day he left to serve aboard a destroyer in the South Pacific.
After the war, they had a daughter, Joyce, and Maxine began many years of service as a foster mother, caring for newborns until they were adopted. Over a quarter-century, she would open her arms to more than 200 babies.
Creative and industrious, Maxine enjoyed knitting, crocheting and other crafts, and her projects delighted friends and family. Handy with the computer, she produced greeting cards, family calendars, and ingenious books about her family's history. Maxine and Jack enjoyed camping in their trailer, sometimes with their grandchildren along, and were active in the Holiday Rambler Travel Trailer Club. She and Jack were longtime members of Spokane's Hillyard Baptist Church. They moved to Keizer, OR., in 2004 to be closer to family.
In her quiet way, Maxine created a treasure trove of memories -" of camping trips, craft projects, games, delicious meals and more -" that her daughter and grandchildren will always cherish. But her greatest legacy was her unwavering commitment to family, a value that she and Jack lovingly instilled in each successive generation.
Survivors include her daughter, Joyce Postrel and son-in-law Dan Postrel; grandchildren Noelle Gatti, Rich Gatti, Coby Holley, Dena Holley, and Ethan and Kyla Postrel; and great-grandchildren Brix and Chase Gatti and Callum and Carson Holley. Jack died in 2010; they had been married almost 68 years. A brother and two sisters also preceded her in death.
A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 2, at the Avamere Retirement Center, 5210 River Road N, Keizer. Donations may be made to Keizer Community Church (503-393-0222), or New Avenues for Youth (503-224-4339), a non-profit service organization for homeless youth in Portland, OR., where her granddaughter Dena is employed.