Maxine

As I was stopped at a light on the way home from work, I noticed a man in sun glasses and with a white cane feeling his way down the sidewalk.

My thoughts turned to Maxine. I don't remember the first time I met Maxine, Only that she and her husband, Henry, were friends with my parents and lived close bye when I was young. Henry was a contractor and we did work for him from time to time.

Maxine lost her sight at least forty years ago. When they were aged, they moved to Riverton, only about a five minute drive away from where I live. Even though he was old, Henry built a new house on a small lot. The house was a one level space that Maxine could easily learn and walk and feel her way around in.

After a couple of years, Henry passed away and a couple of their granddaughters moved in with Maxine to help her with the tasks that we often take for granted.

It was at this time that I used to visit Maxine. We visited about a lot of things and as time went by, I learned that Maxine loved to do genealogy and used to research her ancestors. She explained that she could still picture her "family tree" in her mind, and that she longed to be able to do the research, but her blindness prevented her from doing so.

At the time, I was spending a lot of time doing research, and I offered to help her by spending part of my research time looking for her ancestors. She was grateful that I would do such a thing for her.

Maxine provided me with some names and dates and I was able to find some interesting things and many names of her ancestors. She had some ancestors in England that the family line ended...they had lost any leads for further research. I learned that the name of Scoffield actually evolved from an old English name of Scoffin. From some reading I had done, I learned that in the old English, fields and meadows were called fins. Because of this, I was able to extend the research a couple of generations.

When I had completed a goodly amount or research, I printed family group sheets and pedigree charts and inserted them in a binder along with a computer disk encompassing the work I had done. Her granddaughters could review what I had found with her. She was elated that I would do such a thing for her.

It wasn't long after that when I got a telephone call from the granddaughters...Maxine had suffered a heart attack and passed away.

I wonder what happened to the binder and the records I researched.

I felt to thank the Lord for her life and that she could now see again.