Maxine S. (Hertel) Steeves, 95, died Nov. 13, 2024. Born March 29, 1929, in Fitchburg MA, Maxine was the daughter of Max and Emma (Lamothe) Hertel. After graduating from Fitchburg State Teachers College, she taught in Fitchburg and Leominster. This drive continued later with home tutoring for students and adults with learning disabilities.
In 1952, she married the one and only love of her life, The Rev. Bertrand H. Steeves (save for a lighthearted crush on author A.D. III, which was well known to Bert and the family). Bert died in 2020 at age 94. They were married 68 years.
From 1956–1994, she joined Bert and his calling at the First Religious Society, UU, in Newburyport MA, where she was not just the First Lady but a passionate advocate for justice and civil rights. Here, as the powerful woman she was, she stood by his side fighting against racial injustices, for LGBTQ and Civil Rights, even going as far as to go out in the middle of the night to spray paint over neo-Nazi skinhead graffiti like some kind of ninja for justice. She marched with MLK, Jr. and fostered a small child from Kenya, who grew up to have a large part in South African apartheid.
At home, she hosted dignitaries from across the globe and shared life in a small New England community. In these roles, she maintained her grace, wisdom, and a sense of delightful humor. She was recognized with many accolades including entrance into the Clara Barton Sisterhood, honoring her enduring legacy of courage and compassion.
Maxine and her family enjoyed wonderful summers at their cottage in Fryeburg ME, soaking in its natural beauty and tranquility. She was known to bring English flashcards along on these vacations, much to the dismay of her children. As if that wasn’t enough, she also forced anyone present to play Scrabble (which she always won and knew she would). If you knew the difference between “There” and “Their,” you had her undivided attention. At the age of 72, Maxine became a published author of booklets, “Glimpses of the Past” and “Root and Branches.”
The gift of her life will continue to be treasured by her children: Jonathan R. Steeves, Kathryn W. Steeves and husband Stephen I. Weiss, and Christopher I. Steeves and husband Thomas J. Brewer; five grandchildren and two step-grandchildren. The family will have a burial at Oak Hill Cemetery, Newburyport, in August 2025, where Bert and Maxine will be laid to eternal rest together.