Grace Elizabeth Maxum

Loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother went peacefully to the Lord on October 18, 2008. She was preceded in death by her husband of 39 years, Harold D. Maxum, sister, Helen Schroeder and brother, Clifford A. Beezley. Grace Elizabeth was born to Lewis and Mildred Ashley Beezley on the Ashley Farm in Strathmore, Alberta, Canada. She grew up in Richmond Beach, WA and graduated in a class of 23 students from Richmond Beach High School in 1937. Her school classmates remained her life-long friends. After high school she went to work for a costume company, sewing and pressing costumes and uniforms. She worked on the uniforms that the theater ushers wore at the new Indian-themed Northgate Theater. She loved to go to dances with her school friends, Chick and Audrey. She met dashing Harold Maxum at a dance at Parkers Ballroom. They married in 1939 and had 3 children, Sandi, Ron and Diana. Grace was a skilled homemaker and seamstress and used her considerable skills to feed, clothe and entertain her family. Always with Harold and the family on hunting, fishing and camping trips, Grace would forage and prepare meals and decorations from nature's bounty. Picking, canning and freezing were always in progress. Grace filled the storage wood room in the basement with berries, vegetables, fruit, fish, clams and game. She had the biggest freezer in the neighborhood and a wall of shelves always filled with jars of canned fruit, pickles and fish. She continually honed her sewing skills and started a small business doing alterations and tailoring. She called her business Amazing Grace and it was true! She passed all these skills on to her children. She loved being busy and getting things done. She did not tolerate laziness. In her later years when she couldn't do so much, she liked to look out her window and watch others working and getting things done. It was as it should be.

She appreciated a good, clean joke and had a dry sense of humor. She loved the going to the ocean and walking on the beach. She loved the Lord and was active in Northgate Bible Chapel for most of her life. She spent the last 14 years of her life living in her tidy apartment at Crista surrounded by family and friends.

In 2004 A tall, handsome man named Adolph moved into the apartment next door to her. He proceeded to charm her by watering her flowers, telling her stories and singing to her through the bathroom wall! Adolph and Grace became close friends, a familiar couple around Crista and were inseparable until shortly before her passing.

Grace is survived by her children Sandra Oram Ray, Ron Maxum Racelie, Diana Maxum Gary Nelson, grandchildren, David Maxum Maggie, Bryan Maxum, Daniel Maxum and Kristin Cook Mitch and great-grandchildren, Tristan, Sterling, Brad, Harry, Rachel & Bryce, and late-in-life companion, Adolph Gjerding.

A Celebration of Graces Life will be held at King's Chapel at Crista Ministries. 19327 King's Garden Dr. N. Shoreline, WA 98133 on Sunday November 16, 2008 at 2:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Crista Ministries Senior Living - Good Samaritan Fund Shoreline.