Maxine Pearl (Rawlins) Patek, 92

Maxine Pearl (Rawlins) Patek, formerly of Billings, died of natural causes at the Kalispell Regional Medical Center on Oct. 3, 2006. Born in Fromberg on Jan. 3, 1914, to Art and Leone (Brown) Rawlins, Maxine graduated from Laurel High School in l932 and from Eastern Montana College with a teaching degree in elementary education.

She taught at Tucker and Peterson country schools, each for one year, six years in Bridger and 17 years in Billings at the Burlington Avenue and Meadowlark schools before her retirement in 1976.

On April 30, 1940, Maxine Rawlins married George W. Patek at the Billings First Methodist Church and moved to Bremerton, Wash., where her husband worked as a civilian on the USS Missouri during World War II. After the war, they returned to Bridger to raise their family.

Maxine enjoyed playing bridge, reading, and completing the Gazette crossword puzzles. She was a past member of the Toastmistress Club, past president of Delta Kappa Gamma, and a member of Grace United Methodist Church and the Yellowstone Valley Retired Teachers Association.

Survivors include three daughters: Sharon and Will Loveall of Columbia Falls, Georgia Swanson of Denver, and Vicki and Phil Christman of Great Falls; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; sisters, Doris Helzer of Billings, and Faye McDuffie and Berta Gemmill, both of Deer Park, Wash.; and brother, Bob Rawlins, of Loon Lake, Wash.

Preceding her in death were her husband, George, in 1952; her son, Bill, in 2003; and brothers, Don, Ray and Lynn Rawlins.

A private burial at the Bridger cemetery is planned for a later date.

Memorials may be sent to the Grace United Methodist Church College Scholarship Fund, 1935 Ave. B, Billings, MT 59102; or to the charity of one's choice.

This paid obituary is being run again at the request of the family.