Maxine Amelia Walden

Maxine passed away on the night of the solstice. She had spent the longest day doing her favorite things - walking in the woods, swimming in a river, and spending time with loved ones. Maxine was creative, smart, generous, hysterically funny, constantly surprising, and filled with unending curiosity for all living things. She was passionate about plants and biology, and was studying at Holyoke Community College to become a botanist. She worked as a research technician in an ecology lab at Smith College, where she studied how local trees respond to climate change and co-authored a forthcoming paper. Her home was filled with exotic plants that she devotedly cared for, including an 8-foot tall monstera. She was looking forward to enjoying a summer of gardening with her housemates. On a walk with her, you could point at any plant and she could tell you about it. Spending time with Maxine always meant learning something new. From an early age, she was a gifted visual artist and musician. She made beautiful sculptures out of paper, wire, and anything that was around, and played guitar and cello. It's impossible to mistake art she made for anyone else's work. She shined through everything she imagined and shaped - her unique way of seeing the world, the careful, loving attention she gave to everything her hands touched. Maxine's childhood was full of magical adventures with her brothers and their friends. They spent endless hours together entertaining themselves in creative and imaginative ways, both indoors and out. She was just as likely to be exploring nature or climbing a tree as she was to be building LEGOs or playing in the famous "boxroom". She adored people and was adored in return. Her charisma and humor were striking to everyone she met. She loved quickly, and had countless friends, and after moving to Northampton in 2023 she intertwined her life with a large, loving community. She had a deep love for the world and fought incredibly hard to remain a part of it. Now she is everywhere in the nature she loved, in every tree and river, every wingbeat of every butterfly, her light in every star. We will love her and miss her for the rest of our lives. She was preceded in death by her twin brother Ryan, and is survived by her parents Bob and Susan, her brother Nick, and her partner Helena. There will be gatherings to honor and remember Maxine's life in the weeks to come, both in Northampton and in Maryland. If you have photographs or memories of Maxine you would like to share with her loved ones, please email them to pictures.maxine@gmail.com. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Maxine Amelia Walden, please visit our floral store.