Maxine (Smith) Stuard, 82, former resident of Tonkawa, Oklahoma passed away at UCSD Medical Center, San Diego, California Monday, October 20, 2008.   Maxine was born November 24, 1925 at Tonkawa Oklahoma to William A. and Catherine Smith.

Graveside service will be Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Tonkawa, OK with Dr. Richard Thomasson officiating. Arrangements are under the directions of Tonkawa Funeral Home, Tonkawa, OK.

Maxine grew up in Tonkawa, graduating from Tonkawa High School. She attended Northern Oklahoma Junior College then transferred earning a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Education from Oklahoma University.

Maxine had a twin brother and five other older siblings. Growing up during the depression years, the twins were always the talk of the family and the town. She married Orville Dale Stuard of Newkirk, OK in 1947 in Tonkawa, OK and they have been married sixty one years.  They lived briefly in Texas and New Mexico before settling in San Diego, CA where they have lived for the pass fifty one years.

Maxine and Orville raised three children the oldest of whom, Nina, was deaf. Nina graduated from college and became the first culturally Deaf faculty member in Kentucky to become tenured. The younger two children, Karen and Bob, also became college professors.  Although she grew up in an educational system that did not teach or foster American Sign Language (ASL), Maxine and Orville fully supported her desire & efforts to learn ASL. This changed the course of all their lives. Maxine also took Sign Language classes.

Maxine taught adult education and continuing education classes for many years in English, English as a Second Language (ESL), and Business skills (accounting, bookkeeping, typing, short-hand). Her students loved her and knew she took a special interest in their success.

She belonged to East Clairmont Southern Baptist Church and was very involved in the Ladies Sunday School Class and their projects supporting mission work and area homeless shelters.

Maxine believed strongly in a good education. She raised her children to trust in God, to believe in themselves, to do what you love and to give back. All three of her children each earned Master’s degrees as well and all three are professors of American Sign Language/Interpreting in three different states (California, Kentucky and Indiana).

She is survived by her a husband, Orville; children, Nina Ruth Coyer and her husband, Roger L. of Lancaster, KY, Karen Dale Donah and her husband, Richard G. of LaPorte, IN, Bob Alan Stuard and his wife, Wendy Ann of Diamond Bar, CA; her twin brother Max Smith and his wife, Loretta of Tonkawa, OK; grandchildren, Abigail R.Coyer, Jesse J. Coyer, Luke A. Stuard, Elizabeth-Ruth Palmer Stuard, Stefan A.Goin, Elyse A. Goin, Joshua A. Stuard, Isaiah A. Stuard, Richard D. Donah and wife Jennifer, Kara A. Donah; great grandchildren, Daltin C. Coyer, Rose T. Donneley, Nathan R. Donah, and Hailey L. Donah and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings, Dewey, Horace, Glen, Delbert, Dorothy Smith and Avadelle Ross.

Condolences may be sent to the family using our online guest book at www.tonkawafh.com