Virginia Elizabeth Maxwell

Virginia E. Maxwell passed away peacefully on April 11, 2022, in Houston, Texas. A lifelong resident of New Orleans and Metairie, she came to Houston after being displaced from her Metairie home by Hurricane Ida last fall.

Virginia “Aunt GeGe” was born in Metairie, Louisiana, on August 7, 1931, to Dr. Thomas A. Maxwell and Vivian Grace Maxwell. She attended high school in New Orleans and spent her working life in the world of fashion, spending many years at Town and Country on St. Charles Avenue, and after that at Steinmart. She had a tremendous eye for design, and was a talented artist and home decorator. She also had a wonderful singing voice, and she loved music. In her younger years, she was an avid golfer, and enjoyed playing at Audubon Park.

Although she never married, she was deeply involved with all of her family members, caring for her mother and all four of her older siblings as they aged and needed help. Because of her generous nature, we, her surviving nieces and nephew, not only fondly referred to her as “Aunt GeGe” but also called her “Saint GeGe.” Our aunt was not only caring, but also was always so cheerful and upbeat, with a tremendous sense of humor. She was a great help to our mother when we were little, and we especially fondly remember a trip with her to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on a bauxite freighter. Although our mother had invited her along to help with us little ones, our father jokingly complained “So now I have six kids to look after.” Aunt GeGe loved both our parents very much. Over the years, Aunt GeGe came to graduations from summer camps to colleges, and made trips to the Soviet Union, France, Turkey, Greece, and Mexico and other destinations. Although Hurricane Ida caused her to leave her lifelong home, we are grateful to have had her with us in Houston these past six months.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Thomas A. Maxwell and Vivian Grace Maxwell, her brothers, Thomas A. Maxwell, Jr., Henry E. Maxwell, and Matthew G. Maxwell, and her sister, Vivian Maxwell Clark and brother-in-law, Bernard Francis Clark. She is survived by her nieces, Virginia Ann Clark, Janet Frances Clark, Barbara Adele Clark and husband, Edgar A. Bering, III, Vivian Elizabeth Clark and husband, Bryan Gilliam, and her nephew, Bernard Francis Clark, Jr. and wife, Jena W. Clark, as well as by her great nieces, Janet Bering, Gracie Gilliam McIntyre and husband, Tyler McIntyre, Stephanie Gilliam, Emma Clark Knowlton and husband, Charles Grant Knowlton, and Kristin Nicole Clark, and by her great nephews, Bernard F. Clark, IV and wife, Amy Parks Clark, and Edgar A. Bering, IV.

The family would like to give special thanks to her good friend and neighbor, L.J. Baudoin, who lived across the hall from her at Metairie Towers, and who was a wonderful help to her for many years, including getting her to safety when Hurricane Ida forced them from the building in the middle of the night. The family would also like to give special thanks to Aunt GeGe’s lifelong friend, Geryl Diodene, who brought her much joy and laughter over the years.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral service in the chapel of Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 3:00PM. The interment in Metairie Cemetery will follow the chapel service. Immediately following the graveside service, a reception will be held at the Event Center at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, we suggest you make a donation to the charity of your choice, or to Special Connections, 1225 West William David Parkway, Metairie, Louisiana 70005, or to the Louisiana SPCA, 1700 Mardi Gras Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70114.

To view and sign the guest book, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com