Maxine Dorothy DeVilbiss

On Feb. 7 pioneer, mother and author, Maxine Dorothy DeVilbiss, passed away in her Palmer home after a struggle with cancer. She died eight days short of her 85th birthday. She was born Feb. 15, 1924 in Foreston, Minn. Maxine arrived in Palmer with her husband Ralph and three children, Larry, Ray and Susan to initially work at Victory Bible Camp and then Lazy Mountain Children’s Home. They finally settled on their own homestead on Wolverine Creek in 1956. She mothered her own children and fostered about 40 other Native children

before she and Ralph adopted Brian and Billy from Korea.

Maxine was a a quiet but active force and founding member of Lazy Mountain Bible Church. For many years she managed the prayer chain — first a phone bank and then an extensive e mail chain. For many years hers was the voice that answered the Crisis Pregnancy Center hot line. She also recorded books for the blind from her living room.

The first book Maxine wrote was, “Billy’s Story” — a 35 year journey with autism. Her second book was “Homesteading in Alaska” — the story of Wolverine Farm. The final days of her journey to Glory can be found at maxinedevilbiss.blogspot.com.

Maxine was preceded in death by her husband Ralph, her older sister Grace Swanson and her daughter Susan Herr.

Maxine is survived by her older sister Francis Kerns in Yakima, Wash.; her sons, Larry, Ray, Brian and Billy; 11 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

There will be a celebration of life at Lazy Mountain Bible Church on Feb. 16 at 1 p.m.

Arrangements were entrusted to the Cremation Society of Alaska. An online guestbook may be signed at www.alaskacremation.com