Maxine Elda Cooke was born March 23, 1923 to Cordie Bell and Ulna Cooke. She and her three sisters, Nedra, Jo, and Pat, grew up in Lawton Oklahoma. She loved going to school, and after having never missed a day, she graduated as salutatorian of her high school class. She met David Nathanson, an army sergeant who later rose to captain, in Lawton during the war years, and went to work in Washington DC for the Military Department. They married in 1942, and bought their home in the Preston Hollow area in 1950, where she lived for 63 years. So many kids and adults came through the back door of that house, directly into the kitchen, we can't even count. She welcomed everyone. Maxine worked at the Apparel Mart, American Heart Association , and Jewish Community Center. She volunteered as a Brownie troop leader, a tutor for DISD elementary school students needing help, and helping foreign students at junior college to learn conversational English. She sewed and knitted and crocheted her way to a prize at the Texas State Fair. She liked gardening. And was a great cook. She bowled, taught her kids to water ski and tap dance, read a lot, and played bridge and Mah Johngg. She scratched her travel itch with trips in the US and abroad. At home, she enjoyed attending Park Cities Baptist Church and Sunday school classes for as long as she was able, and maintained membership at Temple Emanu-El. Maxine is survived by her sister Pat Doyal and husband Marvin in Florida; sister-in-law Adlene Harrison in Dallas; daughter Nancy and husband Steve Robinson in Oregon; son Paul and his wife Shari, in Flower Mound and granddaughters Kimberly Nathanson Brueckman in St. John's, Newfoundland, Dana Nathanson White in Corbin, KY, and Tara Nathanson, student at Stephen F Austin University in Nacogdoches. Maxine died on December 25 of age-related causes. A service will be held at Sparkman Hillcrest on Saturday Dec. 31, 2:00 PM, following visitation at 1:00.
Published in Dallas Morning News on Dec. 30, 2016