Maxine Johnson, 82

Maxine Johnson, 82, passed away April 19, 2007, at her home in Lake Oswego, Ore.

Maxine was employed by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana from 1950 to 1988, first as a research associate, and later as the director and a professor of management. She spent most of her career studying the Montana economy and briefing government and business leaders on her results. She was the author of about 140 articles and 18 monographs dealing with state and regional economics.

She served on the boards of directors of The Montana Power Company (1975-1988), First Bank Western (1972-1988), and the Montana Board of Investments (1971-1976).

Other service included the board of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation from 1989 to 2002, (president, 1993-2002); the board of the Burton R. Wheeler Center at Montana State University from 1987 to 2006 (chair,1999-2006); the board of the AAUW Educational Foundation (1989-1993), and a trustee of the Washington State University Foundation (1993-1999).

In 1975, she received the Distinguished Alumni Award from The University of Montana, followed by an honorary Ph.D. from Montana State University in 1981.

Maxine was born in Kansas in 1925 and moved with her family to Bellingham Wash., in 1941. She attended college at Washington State University, where she met and married Manford 'Buzz' Johnson. After graduating in 1948 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, she moved to Missoula, where she earned a master's degree in economics in 1950 from the University of Montana.

Buzz and Maxine retired to Bigfork in 1988, and since 2002 have divided their time between there and Lake Oswego.

Maxine loved to travel and enjoyed ballet, classical music and paintings.

Maxine is survived by Buzz; son, Kurt; brother, Robert; daughter-in-law, Julie; and granddaughter, Cory.

Both Maxine and her husband received scholarships while students, which led them to establish a scholarship in their name at Washington State University. Memorials can be sent to: The M.E. and Maxine Johnson Honors Scholarship, WSU Foundation, P.O. Box 641042, Pullman, WA 99164-1042.

Arrangements are by Crown Memorial Center in Tualatin, Ore.