Maxine Mae Lautner 84, of Traverse City Michigan passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on January 1st, 2025.
Maxine was born to Joseph and Mary (Witkowski) Maslowski on September 13th, 1940, in Cedar Michigan. She was the 7th of 9 children. She graduated from Holy Rosary School in 1959. She married Everett Jerome Lautner on November 5th, 1960. Together they had five children, Robert, Kenneth, Sandra and an infant son and daughter that proceeded her in death. Maxine and Everett had a family farm where they raised pigs. Later they started Maple Valley Pallet Company. Maxine eventually went to work for Laitner Brush Company and retired from there in 2002.
Maxine met the love of her life Jim Josselyn in 1989. She and Jim were members of the Traverse City Eagles Club for many years. They played cards, shuffleboard and volunteered to help out for Sunday breakfast. They made a lot of friends and memories there. Maxine had a love for polka music and playing euchre with her family. She played a game she called dice and skip-bo with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was very strong in her catholic faith. She was known for her deserts! She was a very tidy person; her grandchildren will always remember Grandmas house being spotless. She enjoyed making ceramics. She was very proud of her role as bushia to her great grandchildren, they all hold a special place in her heart. Her family was her pride and joy and she made sure to remember each one of their birthdays with a special card and gift. She hosted the most memorable and fun holidays for her family. She had a very special bond with her two oldest great grandchildren Jerin and Taylor as she had a hand in help raising them. She enjoyed camping in the summers in her 5th wheel. Maxine enjoyed the family picnics at Solon beach.
Maxine started battling dementia and eventually went to live at Cherry Hill Haven. At the end of her life, she went to live with her daughter Sandra and son in law Jim. There, she spent her days playing cards, spending time with family, watching lifetime and hallmark movies, little house on the prairie, wheel of fortune, eating cookies and sweets and drinking her soda. She had a special doll named Posen that she adored.
Maxine is survived by her three children Robert (Lisa) Lautner, Kenneth (Mary) Lautner, and Sandra (James) Anderson. Grandchildren, Erin (Adam) Saigger, Amber (Evan) Jach, Michael (Noel) Stewart, Kelly (Jon) Lautner, Sierra (Seamus) Withey, Jesse (Natalie) Lautner, Kenneth (Kelly) Gallagher, Amanda (Taylor) Leech and Baily Lautner. Twenty-Four Great Grandchildren. Sisters Mary Jane Weber, Dorothy Herman, and Arlene (James) Balesh. Sister-in-law Hilda Maslowski. A special niece Marie Labonte and many nieces and nephews.
Maxine was proceeded in death by her parents, infant son and daughter, infant granddaughter Pamela Lautner, Father of her children Everett Lautner, significant other James Josselyn. Siblings Edward (Edna) Maslowski, Louis Maslowski, Eleanor (John) Mazurek, Gladys (Benon) Gatzke, Barbara (Owen) Lada. Brother-in-laws Gerald Weber, and Danny Herman.
A special thank you to Gerri and David Romzek for their continued love and support over the years. A heartfelt thank you to the staff at Cherry Hill Haven and Heartland Hospice. Thank you for taking great care of Maxine. Memorial contributions can be made to the family of Maxine.
Funeral services will be held at 3pm on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home with a visitation starting at 2pm. Kindly share thoughts and memories with her family at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com .