Maxine Newill

Maxine Newill went to her maker on August 6, 2025 after suffering a catastrophic stroke several weeks earlier. At that time, she chose not to have a feeding tube or Intra- veinous fluids. To paraphrase Shakespeare, nothing became her life more than the courage she showed at the end of it.

Maxine was born on June 15, 1931, to Wallace and Ethel Rennerfeldt. She was one of six children and was the only girl. Sadly, Ethel passed away when Maxine was four. She went to school in Oakland, Nebraska and grew into a beautiful young lady. She married Melvin Newill on Christmas Eve 1952. This made it easy to remember their anniversary. She worked in a munitions plant while Mel served aboard an LST in the Central Pacific. After Mel’s discharge, they went back to Nebraska and moved to Montana in 1956. Maxine and Mel adopted two children, Mitchell, in 1959 and Michele, in 1961. Perhaps it was because Max had lost her own mother so early, but she was a wonderful mother.

Once the kids were old enough, Max went to work for Super- Save, and then Thriftway. A wonderful time began when She and Mel were able to lease an old homestead on Lake Inez for twenty-five years. The weekends were mostly spent there, with family and countless friends staying or visiting. After Mel sold his business, they bought an R.V., from then, it was a rare summer weekend that they weren’t camping and fishing.

She is survived by her husband of seventy-two years Melvin, her son Mitchell, her daughter, Michele and son-in-law Matthew, grandchildren Jeffrey Newill and Rachel Stanchfield and too many nephews, nieces, and cousins to list. Maxine was a pretty, young lady and a beautiful woman who aged gracefully. More importantly, she was as beautiful on the inside as well. Heaven is up one, and it is left for us here to mourn.