Theresa A Maxwell

Our beloved mother, grandmother, aunt and friend, Theresa Ann Maxwell, passed away on July 16, 2022 at the age of 79. She had fought and won against kidney disease over the past 10 years, and in May of 2022 she was diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma. She fought the good fight this time again, but it was time for her to rest. Theresa passed away peacefully at home with her family by her side, both two and four-legged. Born in Chula Vista, California on March 16, 1943, she spent most of her younger years learning to fish at Mission Beach with her mom Jeanne and siblings Tappin Jr. and Jeanne. She was a 1961 graduate of Chula Vista High school.

In 1962, Theresa married her first husband, the late Michael Dobson Sr. and they had 4 children, Michael Jr., Charles, Michelle and Debbie. She loved her children and the family that she was creating. Over the years they traveled on family vacations, fishing trips to the family beach house in Ensenada, Mexico, and celebrated holidays with large family gatherings. Theresa loved to travel and often spoke of her travels to Panama in the 1970’s while her first husband was working on the Tuna Boats off the coast. She loved teaching her kids to fish, play cards and to adventure to new places.

In October of 1978, she married her husband of 25 years, Robert (Bob) L. Maxwell. When Theresa and Bob married, her family doubled in size with the addition of her 4 step-children; Donna, Jim, Robin and Mary. Although there were now 8 children only 3 of them lived at home; the three girls, Michelle, Mary and Debbie. In 1982 Theresa and Bob retired to Kingman, Arizona where they built their retirement home. Her and Bob were members of the Sun Country Roadrunners Motor Home Club for many years and traveled with the teenage girls to many different places across the country. Her favorite motorhome trip was to Alaska where they explored all of the beauty it had to offer. She continued to live true to her deeply rooted values of family, love and adventure until Bob passed away in 2002. In 2012, she sold the house in Kingman, AZ and moved to be close to her daughters and the rest of her family.

In 1980’s the grandkids started coming and Theresa went from Mom to Grandma. This was a title she held very proudly. Much like she raised her children to value family, love and adventure she did the same with her grandkids. Being the stoic and exceptional woman she was, she continued to raise children even after she was known as Grandma. She provided a home for and cared for anyone that needed a loving place to stay. She was known as everyone’s grandma and would always give advice, a hug, or a freshly home cooked meal to warm your heart. Despite very her large family, Theresa always made time for everyone.

Theresa was a provider by nature and did anything that she needed to to take care of her family. Theresa spent most of her early years of motherhood as a homemaker and worked when it was needed, but she had a hard time staying idle. Over her professional career she was very loyal to her employers and had a work ethic like no other, yet another trait handed down to her family. In the late 60’s and 70’s she worked as a bartender and learned how to be quick-witted and serve a stiff drink to calm a mouthy sailor. In the late 80’s and over the next 10+ years while “retired” she worked for Taco Bell in Kingman, AZ. After her late husband Bob passed away Theresa changed careers from the restaurant industry to retail where she could take care of her four legged friends, finishing her working career with PETCO after more than 10 years and retired officially in 2016.

She was preceded in death by her husband Bob, her parents Tappin Sr. and Jeanne Gorman, brother Tappin Gorman Jr., son Charles Dobson, step-daughter Donna Maxwell, surrogate grandson Eric Ruggles and her daughter-in-law she loved so very much, Vicki Morrison.

Theresa is survived by her children Dr. Michelle Medlin and Debbie Morrison of Glendale, AZ, Michael Dobson Jr. of Florence, AZ, Robin Maxwell and Jim Maxwell of Harrisburg, MO, Mary (Butch) Steed of Kingman, AZ, daughter-in-law Kelli Dobson of Florence, OR and surrogate daughter Lori Morrison of Glendale, AZ. She is also survived by her 18 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, her sister-in-law Linda Gorman of Bonita, CA, her sister Jeanne (Larry) Haymes of Texas, multiple nieces, nephews and a long list of extended family, friends, past coworkers and people that she made a positive impact on over her many years.

Theresa was very involved in all of her children and grandchildren’s lives. She was proud of the large and loving family she had created. She recently expressed to us that she was proud to have such a wonderful family full of love, she was able to tell us stories we have never heard before and express her gratitude to those she loved. Over the last 2 months she has had loving caregivers to care for her daily comfort, but they were not able to do it alone. The entire family came together to remain true to her values of family and love. The family would like to thank and give their greatest and warmest gratitude for everyone who had cared for Theresa, provided a phone call or message, or said a prayer for her comfort and peace. They would also like to personally thank her surrogate granddaughter and Nurse Practitioner Stephanie Dujanski for the exceptional love, compassion and care she provided during her final days.

Theresa will be cremated and her ashes will be scattered back to the ocean where she loved to be. A celebration to remember the beautiful life of our family matriarch will be held on August 27, 2022, please reach out to the family for details. In lieu of flowers you may send a donation in Theresa’s honor to the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society at www.lls.org.

Your Hug Meant the World

Nobody else held me so tight

Or made me feel so right

No one's eyes shined so bright with love

As my mom, who is now high above.

-Tasman Butler