Mae Eleanor (Holiday) Maxwell

Mae Eleanor Holiday Maxwell of Albuquerque, NM was born near Ft. Collins, CO on May 3, 1925, to Albert Benjamin Holiday and Minnie Wood Holiday.  She was born in a renovated red brick schoolhouse on North Taft Hill Road close to the Cache La Poudre River. When Mae was born, one of her five older brothers exclaimed, "Oh sweet potatoes, she can wash the dishes!" In 1930, Mae's family moved to Beaver, OK, four miles from Balko, on 160 acres which her Grandmother Wood had homesteaded when Mae's mother was a child.  Mae started 1st grade at Balko and lived there most of the time until about age 13. In Balko she endured the Dust Bowl and Great Depression then moved back to Bellvue, CO into an old church that her brothers had bought and remodeled for the family.  She completed high school there at La Porte High School.
Eventually Mae moved to Cheyenne, WY where she worked in a laundry, pressing the cuffs and collars of shirts, and also at a bank. When the love of her life, Russell, completed his military service and college, the two were married and shortly settled in Albuquerque, NM for the rest of her life where Russell worked for Sandia National Labs.   Mae was a fantastic stay-at-home mother.  Her accomplishments include raising five children, leading Camp Fire Girls and Cub Scouts, and teaching many church classes at Sandia Baptist, where she and Russell were members for about six decades. She hosted many family dinners and many youth groups from the church. In fact, the Maxwell house was always open to innumerable groups of kids. She actively supported, if not always enjoyed, camping and jeeping with the family and friends.  She was always the 'gracious hostess' and never ran out of sandwich fixin's, koolaid, and homemade cookies.   In addition to cooking, camping and hosting, Mae enjoyed playing the harmonica.
Of course, Mae's legacy will live on.  She is now walking without devices and likely preparing a pot of her famous 'Grandma's homemade stew' to welcome the next family member or friend.

Mae, age 96, stepped into her heavenly home with family by her side on Sunday, December 5, 2021.

Mae was preceded in death by her best friend and husband of 69 years, Russell; her parents; five brothers and one sister; and a daughter, Karen Mumbower (Ron). Mae is survived by daughter, Cheryl Ghanbari (Faraj); son-in-law, Ron Mumbower (Kathy); son, Gary Maxwell (Carolyn); daughter, Shirley Campbell (Danny); son, Dale Maxwell (Niki); 11 grandchildren, Roushan Ghanbari (Josh), Zahra Ghanbari (Ray), Ryan Mumbower (Courtney), Alan Mumbower (Stephanie), Evan Mumbower (Mina), Landon Mumbower (Rachael), Alicia Steadman (Nathan), Michelle O'Neil (Max), Aaron Campbell (Renee), Kevin Campbell (Maggie), and Daniel Campbell; and 10 great-grandchildren, Wesson, Corinne, Molly Karen, Mason, Aiden, Adelaide, Melody, Logan, Sarah, and Levi; and three on the way.