Maxine (Beckmann) (Nye) Herpolsheimer

HERPOLSHEIMER - With sorrow and the knowledge of peace and everlasting life, the family of Maxine (Nye) (Beckmann) Herpolsheimer announces her passing on December 21, 2009 in Palm Desert, California. Maxine was born April 5, 1909 in Grand Rapids, Michigan the only child of Winifred Meech Nye and Harold Reese Nye. Maxine was the great-great granddaughter of Lewis Reed, an original settler of Grand Rapids. The lake on his former farm in East Grand Rapids bears his name, "Reeds Lake". A lyric soprano, Maxine performed the lead in her school operettas at Central High School. She was the summer reporter for the Grand Rapids Press, covering Macatawa's young social set. On February 6, 1929 Maxine married Lawrence F. Beckmann who predeceased her in 1987. She was also predeceased by their only son, Lawrence F. Beckmann Jr. On September 28, 1989 Maxine married Edward M. Herpolsheimer and resided in the Herpolsheimer home on Lake Macatawa until they moved to a retirement community, Freedom Village, in Holland, MI. After Edward Herpolsheimer's passing, Maxine moved to California to be near two of her daughters: Marilyn Henderson Smythe of Indian Wells, CA and Gloria McAuliffe Cady of Coronado, CA. Her oldest daughter, Jacqueline Hascall, resides in Williamsburg, Virginia. Maxine is also survived by nine grandchildren and twenty-one great grandchildren. The family is planning a celebration of her life to be held this summer in Macatawa near her former summer home on Lake Michigan. All memorials may be sent to the Lawrence F. Beckmann Scholarship Fund at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.