1926
Elizabeth
2015
Elizabeth Maxwell
February 17, 1926 — July 16, 2015
Elizabeth "Liz" Maxwell, 89, of Sarasota, FL, died Thursday, July 16, 2015, at her lake home in Richville, MN.
Martha Elizabeth (Liz) Fargusson Maxwell was born February 17, 1926, to Earl Elisha Fargusson from Illinois, and Martha Elizabeth Messenger, from Door County, Michigan. During WWII, Liz entered the cadet nurses corps, completing her nurses' training at the Kahler School of Nursing in Rochester, MN. She was assigned as a nurse to the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in Belcourt, ND, where she met her future husband, Ralph (Buzzy) Bernard Borden Maxwell. They were married February 14, 1948, in Rolla, ND. At the age of 40 she entered college, receiving a B.S. from NDSU in 1974, and in 1977, she graduated from UND School of Law and was admitted to the ND bar. She was a private practice attorney, 1977-80, and then an attorney with the Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Division, in Chicago, 1981-1988. She opened the Maxwell Law Offices in Fargo with her husband, Buzzy, and son, William, in 1988. In 1991, she retired from the practice of law.
During the time she lived in Fargo and West Fargo, she was named Fargo's Mrs. All-American City, and in 1960, she placed first in the local and regional Toastmistresses speaking competitions, representing the Midwest region at the national competition in Los Angeles, CA, where she received honorable mention recognition for her competition speech. She was involved with the League of Women Voters, the Nonpartisan League and the Democratic Party, the Law Women's Caucus at UND law school, as well actively supporting the Equal Rights Amendment movement, both in ND and later in Chicago. In addition to running for the state legislature in West Fargo, she also ran for district judge in Fargo, ND, in 1980. In later years, she was active in Friends of Nosara, a civic organization in Nosara, Costa Rica.
Liz was an avid reader and bridge player, and instrumental in establishing the West Fargo Public Library and the David Kitson Memorial Library in Nosara, Costa Rica.
She and her husband of 66 years enjoyed their time spent in Nosara, Costa Rica; Alamo, Texas; and at their residence in Longboat Key, FL. She spent her last days at her summer lake home of 38 years, near Richville, MN.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Maxwell, her sisters, Lois Thomas, Evelyn Brownlow, Virginia Dutcher, and her brothers Earl Fargusson and Ralph Fargusson.
Liz is survived by her sister Harriet Oldenburg (Donald, deceased), her children, Susan Fitzgerald (John, deceased), Nancy Maxwell (Pandora Kiss), Peggy Maxwell (Larry Parish, deceased), Bill Maxwell (Debra Taylor), Jan Maxwell (Robert Lunney) and Richard Maxwell (Victoria Vazquez); her brother-in-law, Francis Maxwell (Kathleen); and her grandchildren, Robert Fitzgerald (Meredith Fry), Kea (Fitzgerald) Mwania (Erik Navarrette), Michael Fitzgerald (Alexandra Sherman), Maxwell Frederickson (Ashlee), Chanomi Maxwell-Parish (Frank Steed), Jeremy Maxwell-Parish, Andrew Maxwell-Parish (Alexandra Buzo), Ben Maxwell (Angel Ivy), Will Maxwell-Lunney, Dolores Maxwell and Shane Maxwell; her great grandson, Jalen Navarrette, in addition to many nieces and nephews.
Special family members include Turuwork Wakeyo (Teferra Tessema), daughters Andinet Teferra, Wasson Teferra, Aster Wakeyo (Tedla Beyene, deceased), son Meraf Tedla, daughter Kalkidan Tedla, Azeb Wakeyo and the entire Wakeyo family in Ethiopia, along with Laticia Williams and Chris Keusch of Sarasota, FL.
In lieu of flowers, Liz requested donations be made to New York City Players (www.nycplayers.org), or Friends of Nosara, David Kitson Memorial Library (friendsofnosara.org).
Memorial Service: 2 PM Monday, July 20, 2015, at Glende-Nilson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls
Condolences: GlendeNilson.com
Martha Elizabeth (Liz) Fargusson Maxwell was born February 17, 1926, to Earl Elisha Fargusson from Illinois, and Martha Elizabeth Messenger, from Door County, Michigan. During WWII, Liz entered the cadet nurses corps, completing her nurses' training at the Kahler School of Nursing in Rochester, MN. She was assigned as a nurse to the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in Belcourt, ND, where she met her future husband, Ralph (Buzzy) Bernard Borden Maxwell. They were married February 14, 1948, in Rolla, ND. At the age of 40 she entered college, receiving a B.S. from NDSU in 1974, and in 1977, she graduated from UND School of Law and was admitted to the ND bar. She was a private practice attorney, 1977-80, and then an attorney with the Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Division, in Chicago, 1981-1988. She opened the Maxwell Law Offices in Fargo with her husband, Buzzy, and son, William, in 1988. In 1991, she retired from the practice of law.
During the time she lived in Fargo and West Fargo, she was named Fargo's Mrs. All-American City, and in 1960, she placed first in the local and regional Toastmistresses speaking competitions, representing the Midwest region at the national competition in Los Angeles, CA, where she received honorable mention recognition for her competition speech. She was involved with the League of Women Voters, the Nonpartisan League and the Democratic Party, the Law Women's Caucus at UND law school, as well actively supporting the Equal Rights Amendment movement, both in ND and later in Chicago. In addition to running for the state legislature in West Fargo, she also ran for district judge in Fargo, ND, in 1980. In later years, she was active in Friends of Nosara, a civic organization in Nosara, Costa Rica.
Liz was an avid reader and bridge player, and instrumental in establishing the West Fargo Public Library and the David Kitson Memorial Library in Nosara, Costa Rica.
She and her husband of 66 years enjoyed their time spent in Nosara, Costa Rica; Alamo, Texas; and at their residence in Longboat Key, FL. She spent her last days at her summer lake home of 38 years, near Richville, MN.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Maxwell, her sisters, Lois Thomas, Evelyn Brownlow, Virginia Dutcher, and her brothers Earl Fargusson and Ralph Fargusson.
Liz is survived by her sister Harriet Oldenburg (Donald, deceased), her children, Susan Fitzgerald (John, deceased), Nancy Maxwell (Pandora Kiss), Peggy Maxwell (Larry Parish, deceased), Bill Maxwell (Debra Taylor), Jan Maxwell (Robert Lunney) and Richard Maxwell (Victoria Vazquez); her brother-in-law, Francis Maxwell (Kathleen); and her grandchildren, Robert Fitzgerald (Meredith Fry), Kea (Fitzgerald) Mwania (Erik Navarrette), Michael Fitzgerald (Alexandra Sherman), Maxwell Frederickson (Ashlee), Chanomi Maxwell-Parish (Frank Steed), Jeremy Maxwell-Parish, Andrew Maxwell-Parish (Alexandra Buzo), Ben Maxwell (Angel Ivy), Will Maxwell-Lunney, Dolores Maxwell and Shane Maxwell; her great grandson, Jalen Navarrette, in addition to many nieces and nephews.
Special family members include Turuwork Wakeyo (Teferra Tessema), daughters Andinet Teferra, Wasson Teferra, Aster Wakeyo (Tedla Beyene, deceased), son Meraf Tedla, daughter Kalkidan Tedla, Azeb Wakeyo and the entire Wakeyo family in Ethiopia, along with Laticia Williams and Chris Keusch of Sarasota, FL.
In lieu of flowers, Liz requested donations be made to New York City Players (www.nycplayers.org), or Friends of Nosara, David Kitson Memorial Library (friendsofnosara.org).
Memorial Service: 2 PM Monday, July 20, 2015, at Glende-Nilson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls
Condolences: GlendeNilson.com
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