Maxine Hoffman

Maxine Luce Hoffman, 84, passed away April 1, 2012, at her home in Columbia Falls.

Maxine was born to Albert and Dorothy Poole on Sept. 9, 1927, in Dorchester, Ill. When she was six years old in 1933, her family moved to Columbia Falls during the Depression. In 1943, her family moved to Seattle, where her father found work at a lumber mill.

Maxine met Al Luce in Columbia Falls and fell in love with him as a teenager. In 1944 in Tacoma, Wash., Maxine married Al, who was serving in the Army during World War II. Maxine and Al returned to Columbia Falls in 1946, where they made their home. Al worked at Westberg Lumber Co. for several years and then worked at Plum Creek Lumber Co. for 17 years as a planer setup man and planer foreman. Al died of cancer in 1965. 

Maxine moved to Bozeman in 1966 and provided a home for sons Don and Jerry and daughter Barbara while Don attended Montana State University. Maxine met Bill Hoffman in Bozeman, and they were married in 1967. Maxine and Bill had a son, Bill. They were divorced several years later.

Maxine moved to Seattle in 1969 with children Barbara, Jerry and Bill. In 1977, Maxine moved back to Columbia Falls, where she resided until her death.

During her younger years, Maxine enjoyed summers with her family at the cabin on Lake Blaine, swimming, water skiing and boating.

She liked attending her sons’ baseball, football and basketball games and hardly ever missed a game. She enjoyed bowling in women’s leagues in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Some of her highlights in her later years were traveling with her mother to Branson, Mo., traveling to New England in the fall, a trip to Australia and New Zealand, and a trip to Knoxville, Tenn., the Great Smoky Mountains and Nashville, Tenn., and going to the Grand Ole Opry concert.

Maxine worked in the food service department at Riverton Hospital in Seattle in the early ‘70s. In the ‘70s through the ‘90s, she worked in food service at North Valley Hospital.

Maxine was an active member of the Columbia Falls United Methodist Church for about 50 years. She was a member of Beulah Circle at the church.

Maxine is survived by her son Gary Luce and wife Lori, of Columbia Falls, son Don Luce and wife Judy, of Caldwell, Idaho, daughter Barbara Bailey Smith and husband Johnnie, of Algona, Wash., son Jerry Luce and wife Iona, of Columbia Falls, and son Bill Hoffman and wife Natalie, of Commerce City, Colo.; sister Norma Freier and husband Bob, of Kent, Wash.; aunt Ethel Broyles, of Tucson, Ariz,; 11 grandchildren, Rob Luce and wife Jessica, of Edgewood, Md., Mandi Heinle and husband Ken, of Hathaway, Cory Luce and wife Tera, of Nampa, Idaho, Kristy Williams, Travis Bailey and Dillon Bailey, of Algona, Wash., Shannon Hendricksen, of Texas, Joseph Luce, of Tacoma, Wash., Lauranna Hoffman, of Minnesota, and Brynn and Brock Hoffman, of Commerce City, Colo.; 18 great grandchildren, Grace Cherry, Ali and Jake Braun, Hunter, Jenson, Sarah, Aaron and Charlotte Luce, Kassidi and Kadie Heinle, Jeff Wood and fiancee Stephanie Whatley, Jasper and Cody Luce, Warren, Eric, May and Megan Hendricksen, and Christian Luce; and many nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grand nephews and cousins which she was very fond of.

“Maxine was a pillar of strength and loved all her family very much. Her pain and suffering have ended, and she is now in Heaven with the Lord and relatives and friends who have gone before her. We will miss her dearly and will cherish the memories of her forever.”

A graveside service for Maxine will be held at Woodlawn Cemetery in Columbia Falls on Friday, April 13, at noon. A reception will follow at the Columbia Falls United Methodist Church, at 117 Second Street West, in Columbia Falls.

 In lieu of flowers, her family suggests memorial donations be made to the Columbia Falls United Methodist Church, the Humane Society or to a charity of choice.