Rosalyn Helen Maxwell

Rosalyn Helen Maxwell was born in Eldon, Iowa on November 20, 1922. She was the second child of Floyd E. Gildersleeve and Bonita M. Grout. Floyd was the local chiropractor, and Bonita ran his front office. When Rosalyn was born, she had an older brother Robert, who was 16 months old. When Rosalyn was 8 months old, the family moved to California. They settled in Burlingame, where her mother ran a boarding house while her father set up a new successful chiropractic office. A little sister, Dolorita (known as Dotsie) completed the family in 1930.

Shortly before Rosalyn was to start 8th grade, her parents joined the Seventh-day Adventist church. They sent brother Bob off to Lodi Academy, and thought Rosalyn should go too. She was one of only two students in the 7th and 8th grades boarding at the school, and at first was very lonely for home. Fortunately, Bob was there to watch over her, and she soon made many friends. She graduated from Lodi in 1940, as vice president of her senior class.

Rosalyn attended PUC from 1940 to 1942, where she majored in secretarial and learned skills she used for the rest of her life. At the beginning of her second year at PUC, she met a charming young man from England by the name of Arthur Graham Maxwell. He had been eagerly waiting to meet her, having been told not to settle on any girl until he met the beautiful Rosalyn Gildersleeve from Lodi. It was pretty much love at first sight. Unfortunately, the following year Rosalyn stayed home to care for her younger sister and father, due to the early death of her mother. They wrote many letters, though, and Graham took the bus to Burlingame as often as he could to continue their romance. They were married on September 9, 1943 in the Burlingame church by Graham's father, Elder Arthur S. Maxwell (aka Uncle Arthur).

Rosalyn and Graham had three daughters, Lorna, Audrey and Alice, all born at the St. Helena Sanitarium between the years of 1944 and 1952. Other than the few years they spent in Chicago right after Lorna was born (while Graham studied for his Ph.D. at Chicago University Divinity School) they lived a happy life at PUC. Rosalyn was a doting wife and mother, an amazing cook and a wonderful seamstress. She was a very kind and gentle mother, very tender to her little ones. She was determined to answer all their questions, and to teach them to love God and to love one another.

In 1961, the family moved to Loma Linda, where Graham became Chairman of the Division of Religion. They immediately began building a new home on Lawton Court, and Rosalyn started working as secretary for Dr. Harold Ziprick in his OB/GYN office. It was a job she enjoyed very much. Rosalyn was an excellent secretary and, after a few years, she was asked to become executive secretary for Dr. John Peterson, Chairman of Internal Medicine in the School of Medicine. She was a very efficient and capable secretary and was very highly regarded. She made many life-long friends in the medical center. She was thrilled when 3 sons-in-law were added to the family.

Rosalyn retired from her job in 1975, so that she could spend more time with Graham and enjoy being a new grandma. Over the years, Rosalyn and Graham would have 7 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren. Rosalyn delighted in her family, and in providing wonderful holiday and birthday celebrations. She made every occasion special, even giving real live baby bunnies and ducklings to her grandchildren (much to their parents chagrin!). She was best friends with each of her grown daughters, and her grandchildren adored her.

Rosalyn and Graham were married for 67 years, and on their last anniversary together he sent her 67 red roses. They were always in love, and he would often say how fortunate he was to have her for his wife. He always said she was the woman mentioned in Proverbs 31, whose "worth was far more than rubies...her children shall rise up and call her blessed, and her husband also".

Rosalyn is survived by two daughters, seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, one sister, and many nieces and nephews.