Maxine M. Holsomback

Maxine Holsomback, 93 of Huntsville Texas died Tuesday, August 8, 2023 at her residence at Creekside Assisted Living Facility and Retirement Community. Services will be on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 1pm at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home and Cemetery, 6900 Lawndale Ave, Houston TX. Visitation will begin at 12pm and continue until the service begins.

Born in Beulah TX, at the family home to Zollie and Manda McDuffie on October 15, 1929, Maxine was the youngest of seven children. After graduating from Lufkin High School in 1946, Maxine went on to “Beauty School” in San Antonio. She always paid special attention to her hair and would give style recommendations to family, friends and acquaintances, even if they didn’t ask, believing there was nothing that a perm wouldn’t fix.

She married the love of her life, Jesse J. Holsomback in 1947. Theirs was a love story that began as teenagers when they met through their older brothers and sisters. It is a story rarely heard of when two brothers and a sister with the last name of Holsomback married two sisters and a brother named McDuffie.

Maxine and Jesse were blessed with their son in 1953. Jesse Robert was their light, but tragically died in 1974. Maxine never stopped mourning the loss of her son and would often refer to her sweet boy, Bobby.

Maxine and Jesse built a thriving business in Houston and were proud of its success and the people that worked with them including many family members. After they sold the business, they travelled often including cruises, fishing trips and driving their personal bus throughout the United States, Canada and Alaska with a Prevost Bus group. During their travels they found a beautiful piece of property in Oregon where they would spend most of their summers but they always had their ranch in Texas. When they reduced their travels, they downsized the ranch and built their last home outside of Huntsville where they continued to raise cattle. Maxine maintained the ranch after Jesse passed. You could find her on the tractor setting hay for the cattle or riding the golf cart to give her “babies”, their end of day treats. She was 90 when she decided that raising cattle needed to be someone else’s responsibility and she soon sold the ranch.

Maxine was described as strong willed, steadfast and adamite. What she said was what better be done. But then she would soften when she would see a child and would speak of the days when she was raising her own. We find peace knowing they are together again. She has been looking forward to their joyous reunion.

For our family, Maxine was the last of a generation that knew how to survive in a depression, ration, do their part to help the war effort and know how to communicate without using technology or the internet to get the news of the day, or get answers to the problems that need to be solved. She found answers by drawing upon her parent’s teachings, what she learned growing up on a farm, her life lessons and teachings of the bible.

Pallbearers are: Johnny Brashear, Johnny Garner, Danny Myers, Ray Holsomback Jr., Ron Holsomback, Don Holsomback, and Clint Holsomback. Honorary Pallbearers are: Robert Davis, Nephews, Nieces and her many Great Nephews and Great Nieces.

Instead of flowers, honor Maxine through the conservation of natural resources. Please follow her teachings by recycling; stop using disposable items that go into the landfills, instead use items that can be reused many times or repurposed. Grow some of your own food and appreciate what the earth can provide with a little hard work and commitment. Think of her when you are making this effort.

The family would like to express our appreciation to Robert “Lute” Davis. You are one of a kind and have gone above and beyond to take care of every facet of Aunt Maxine’s business and personal needs. We are forever grateful.