Allie Maxine Stirling, our beloved mother and grandmother, of Jones County passed away January 24, 2023, at Westhills Village in Rapid City. A funeral service will be held Monday, February 13 at 10 am (CST) at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Pierre. A graveside service will follow at Scotty Philip Cemetery. For those unable to attend the service there will be a link provided on this page the day of the service.

Maxine was born in Yankton, South Dakota on November 24, 1923; daughter of Victor and Allie Geuther Hawley. She was a descendant of the Mayflower through her mother. She grew up on a farm in Douglas County, near Armour. She attended grade school at a rural school and graduated from Armour High School. After attending Nettleton Commercial College in Sioux Falls, she accepted employment in Pierre with the State of South Dakota. She worked for the Department of Interior of Cheyenne Agency before marriage. After raising her family, she returned to work for the State of South Dakota until her retirement.

Maxine met her husband Lawrence at a barn dance in the Ft. Pierre area, and they were married in the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Pierre on July 5, 1946. They lived on the Stirling’s family ranch for several years before moving to the Hayes Ranch. In 1957 they established a permanent home on their ranch in Jones County near Capa, South Dakota.

Maxine was a ranch wife who was intimately involved in the business. She had an entrepreneurial spirit and never give up attitude. When there was a downturn in cattle prices, she bought a sheep herd to supplement the ranch. She also made weekly cream and egg deliveries to customers in Pierre and Ft. Pierre.

Maxine and Lawrence believed in taking care of the land. They made ranch improvements by cross fencing, and they joined the West River Lyman-Jones Mni Wiconi Water Supply Project bringing rural water to their ranch. In 1999 they won the South Dakota Society for Range Management Excellence in Range Management Award.

She enjoyed gardening and had an abundance of vegetables which she canned each year. She raised African violets in her east window that constantly bloomed from her loving care. Maxine loved her dogs and horses.

Maxine enjoyed traveling. She and Lawrence visited Germany, Italy, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and several states within the United States. They took a land and ocean trip to Alaska. Maxine also visited Holland, France, and Australia.

Maxine was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Midland. She was active in the community serving as a school board member, and election board member for rural Jones County. She was a lifetime member of the South Dakota Historical Society, and the Order of the Eastern Star. She was a 4-H leader in Jones County and was recognized in the South Dakota 4-H Hall of Fame.

Preceded in death by her parents Victor and Allie Geuther Hawley; her husband Lawrence Stirling; two sisters Norman Weerheim and Velma Harden; two brothers Burton Hawley and Byron Hawley; two infants Larry Keith and Margo Fay; and son-in-law Jack Soesbe.

She is survived by her children; one son Leon Michael (Charlene), and her three daughters Cherie Soesbe, Brenda Warren (Tom), and Debra Housman (Ron). Four grandchildren Shane Stirling (Wanda), Amber Soesbe (Kevin Cauley), Kendra Burke (Bryan), Brant Soesbe (Lanore); four step-grandchildren Michael and Randy Warren, Jeremy Neff, and Geoffry Tracy; great-grandchildren and a great-great granddaughter. She is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews and friends.

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