Maxine Lillian McLear

Maxine McLear passed away at the age of 95 on February 20 in Roseville. Born in Oakland to Martin and Lucille Wondra on July 18,1923, she was the 4th of 5 children. Maxine grew up in St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church in Oakland, graduating from the elementary and high schools. In High School she discovered her talent in Art and she received an award for Fine Art. During World War II, she worked at the Navel Air Station as a supervisor in the Human Resource Department. She and a few of her friends wanted to support the servicemen by creating a USO chapter at St. Elizabeth’s Church. They started with 11 hostesses and it grew to 250 hostesses. It was at the San Francisco chapter of the USO that she met her husband Albert McLear. They married in September 1947. Soon afterwards Maxine left the Navel Air Station to raise her family.

She is survived by her children; Christine Crouch, Maureen Dirk (James), and Jim McLear; 5 grandchildren, 1 sister, and numerous nephews and nieces. She is preceded in death by her parents, brother Edmund Wondra, sisters Joan Bokanich and Rose Wright, and her husband, Albert McLear, married 52 years. God, family, positivity, and a sense of adventure and laughter allowed her to live her life fully passing these strengths to all who knew and loved her.

We will miss her Yosemite adventure stories, smile, encouragement, strength, and her love of celebrating everything in life. Since Yosemite National Park was her favorite place in the world, memorial donations can be made to the Yosemite Conservancy in her memory at http://www.yosemiteconservacy.org

Family and friends are invited to the funeral Mass on Friday, March 8th, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Clare’s Catholic Church in Roseville. Reception to follow after Mass.