Maxine H. (Park) Labbe

Maxine (Mamie) Hayes Park Labbe was born on September 19, 1928 in Blue Oklahoma and died on June 17, 2020. She is preceded in death by her father Jefferson A Hayes, mother Anna Mae Hayes, sister Betty Wanell Risner, and brother Jeff H Hayes. Her youngest brother Bobby C Hayes lives in Diana Texas. Maxine married Joseph C Park on June 7, 1949. Joe died in 1964. Maxine and Joe had three daughters Alice Jean (Norman) Smith, Amie Jo (Randall) Smith, and Lorie Kay (Jack) Digliani. She has five grandchildren Rachel Zenzinger (Steve), Barton Palmer, Jerusha Siegel, Garrett Smith (Jennifer), Adrienne Smith. She has 8 great grandchildren.

Maxine graduated from Caddo High School in 1946. She was given the award of best all around student. She was president of the FHA, was an artist and typist for the Cat’s Paw newspaper, member of the Glee Club, and was on the basketball team. During high school she helped her dad on his farm and milked cows before school when her dad needed the help.

Maxine was determined to go to college. Her father sold a cow and that money was the start of her college tuition savings. The summer after high school she worked the night shift at a dried egg plant in a Dennison Texas. During college she worked multiple jobs while attending college full time. She babysat, worked in the library, worked in the nurse’s office, served food and cleaned in the college cafeteria, worked at a five and dime, and worked at the Metro movie theatre. She graduated in 3 years with a bachelor of science degree in education in 1949. She was also determined that her daughters would finish college and said it was her proudest moment when the last daughter graduated.

Maxine married Gerald Labbe in 1970 and they loved to socialize and travel. They traveled to every state but two, loved cruises, and traveled in many foreign countries. Maxine and a Gerry organized a WWII squadron reunion In Denver that became the model for future reunions. She was a bridge player and hosted many dinner parties for her dinner club.

Maxine was a teacher in Fort Supply and Woodward, Oklahoma, and in Edgewater and Denver Colorado. Most of her career was at Westwood Elementary teaching first grade. She won teaching awards before retiring in 1988. She loved taking classes, particularly when the classes involved travel.

Maxine loved gardening, antiques, and her passion was sewing, embroidery, and quilting.

She was greatly loved and will be greatly missed.