Maxine Brunsvold, 92, Sidney, MT

Funeral Services were Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, at 11 a.m. at the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, Sidney, MT, with Pastor David Huskamp officiating. Maxine was laid to rest in the Sunnyside Cemetery, Trotters, ND. Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Sidney, MT, is assisting the family.

Remembrances, condolences, and pictures may be shared with the family at http://www.fulkersons.com.

Maxine Marie Brunsvold was born on June 22, 1932 at the family farm near Brockton, in NE Richland County. She was the youngest child born to Cleta and Floyd Candee. She attended elementary school at the Armstrong School, and went to Richey High School, graduating from there in 1950. After her high school graduation, she lived in Sidney with her grandmother, where she worked at the telephone office. During this time her good friend, Ruth Pederson, introduced Maxine to Richard Brunsvold. Richard and Maxine were married Feb. 21, 1953, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Sidney, MT.

Richard and Maxine lived in several different places in the area, before making their home at the ranch on Shadwell Creek. It was here that they raised their four children, Dixie Lee, James Richard, Randall Ward, and Douglas Craig. Many good memories and lifelong friends were made in the communities of Shadwell, Squaw Gap, Skaar, and Bennie Pierre. The family attended many dances at Squaw Gap Hall (Richard and Maxine loved to dance), and attended church every Sunday at Grace Lutheran Church, Skaar, ND, (where Maxine was baptized). Maxine wasn't one for joining "clubs", but she did belong to the church's ladies aid, taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School for many years.

She would make a complete meal for her family of 6 to contribute to the potluck dinners that were held at Grace Lutheran every other Sunday. Maxine always wanted to be sure she brought enough food for everyone to have enough to eat. Those Sunday mornings, as she would tote casserole dishes, fresh baked buns, canned pickles from her garden, homemade pies, and the 4 freshly scrubbed kids, to the car, Richard would sit in the car and honk the horn! You can imagine how this went over with her?!?!?

In the spring of 1971, the ranch was leased out, and the family made the move to Medicine Lake, MT, where Richard worked as a farm hand. They lived and worked at the Hendrickson farm west of Medicine Lake, until all the kids had graduated from high school. By this time Richard had been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and was unable to continue working. They decided to move back to the ranch where they would live until his death in 1981. After Richard's death, Maxine eventually moved into town, and went to work as a cook at Sidney High School. She made wonderful friends and good memories while working there.

Maxine continued to live in Sidney after retirement, where she was able to enjoy her family. She loved attending music concerts, sporting events, plays, and anything that involved her grandchildren. She was their biggest fan no matter what! Her retirement also gave her time to spend with her very much-loved sister, Doris. They were two peas in a pod and had many hilarious adventures from going to the Casino Royale and drinking coffee while playing Keno, to shopping at White Drug (their favorite store), or the grocery store (where they would examine the contents of each other's shopping cart to decide if the items in it were needed or not)! The two of them gave our family many laughs! Mom wasn't the same after Doris' passing- she missed her partner in crime so very much!

In September 2021, Maxine moved to The Lodge in Sidney. She was hesitant about moving, but once there she LOVED her new home. After all, her goddaughter managed the place, and her "almost daughter" did lots of the cooking. Thursdays were her favorite days at The Lodge, because Jeanie made caramel rolls for the residents that day! From her room she had a beautiful view of Lone Tree Creek. Every season offered her a splendid view of the creek and trees as they changed from winter to spring, and from spring to fall! She loved watching the birds and wildlife from her window. She was a bird lover and collected bird knick-knacks and anything "bird" related. In her spare time, she loved doing jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, reading and embroidery. She kept her family supplied in embroidered dish towels for years. During her time at The Lodge, she was reunited with many old friends from her past and was delighted in having them in her life once again.

After a fall that resulted in a broken hip and several fractures in her back, she was unable to continue living at The Lodge. In November 2023, she moved to Sidney Health Center Extended Care. Once again, she was forced to move somewhere she wasn't sure about, but she made the best of it as she did in every situation in her entire life. She grew to love the staff at EC, who took such wonderful care of her, many of them calling her "grandma", which she loved. She resided there until her death on Sept. 3, 2024.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard, her son, Douglas, a grandson, Nicolas Skillingberg, her parents, Floyd & Cleta Candee, her in-laws, Elmer & Marie Brunsvold, siblings, Russell Candee, Mattie Carlsen, Florence Candee, Les Candee, Doris Fisher, in-laws LeNora Candee, Dean Carlsen, Lillian Candee, and Edgar Fisher. Also preceding her in death were two nephews, Perry Fisher and Archie Fisher, as well as great nieces, Jill Carpenter and LeNora Zymanski, a great nephew, Brian Richards, and a great-great niece, Sydney Hedges.

Surviving Maxine are her children, Dixie Skillingberg (David), Jim Brunsvold (Janet), Randy Brunsvold (Stacy), grandchildren Mark Skillingberg, Eric Skillingberg, Casey (Hank) Mackert, Marcy (Blaze) Kleinjan, Shelby Brunsvold, Andrea Brunsvold, Lexie Brunsvold (Steve Kimble); great grandchildren Jonah, Natalie and Brinley Skillingberg, Briggs Mackert, as well as many very, very special nieces, nephews, great and great-great nieces and nephews. She loved them all, unconditionally, with her entire heart!!

Maxine lived a long, wonderful life. It was filled with many friends, many loved ones, wonderful fun times, but also much heartache, many hard times, many disappointments. Through it all she continued to have faith that God would never give her more than she could handle! She was such an inspiration to her family! She loved us all unconditionally! We always told her we loved her, and her answer was always "I love you more!!!