Maxine Whitaker

Maxine Whitaker, 88, a resident of Cleveland passed peacefully Saturday, March 2, 2013. Maxine is now in the loving arms of her Savior, along with her husband, P.D., and their infant daughter, Caryn Gae. She was born January 26, 1925 in Licking, MO, to Ray and Neva Davis, who, in approximately 1930 moved their young family to Rock Hill Township near St. Louis. Here Maxine attended school, graduating during the war years into business accounting for a shoe factory. It was in Rock Hill that Maxine met P.D. to whom she would be married 64 years, until his death in 2010. Together, in 1951, they established an insurance agency which grew to include 44 branch offices. In the mid-1950's the couple were active in church planting, P.D. preaching and Maxine at the piano. The adventurous couple moved, in 1964, from Missouri to Florida where Maxine worked 20 years as an insurance underwriter, 17 of those years for the Mayor of Jacksonville Beach. Upon retirement they moved to Cleveland, TN then to Arizona before finally locating back in Cleveland; these moves to enjoy the nearness of family. Maxine, along with P.D., joined Westwood Baptist Church in 1986. She took pleasure in music, reading and journaling, and outings with Red Hat friends. Maxine is survived by her two sons, David Ray Whitaker of Cleveland and Robert Kyle Whitaker of Milwaukie, and her two younger sisters, Elsie Chapman of Nevada and Della Mae Jennison of Arizona. She has two granddaughters, Beth Davis of Nashville, and Amanda Beaty of Cleveland, who have provided Maxine four great-granddaughters, Emily and Sarah Davis, and Katelyn and Candice Beaty. Funeral services will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 in the chapel of Fike Funeral Home with the Reverends Steve Smartt and Jim Caywood officiating. Interment will follow in Chattanooga National Cemetery at 2:30 p.m. A white dove release ceremony will conclude the service. Maxine's family will receive friends from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, 2013 and from 11:30 p.m. until service time on Wednesday at the funeral home. The family expresses deep appreciation to Caris Hospice, Signature Health Care and Wellington Place for their tender care of Maxine in recent months. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Whitaker family guestbook at www.fikefh.com.