Maxine Alma Goates

Maxine Alma Patterson was born on July 9, 1929 in Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada to Willis and Willa Patterson. She went Home on October 4, 2022 at age 93 in Visalia, California surrounded by five of her six children. Maxine spent the first years of her life in Canada with her parents who were US citizens homesteading at Grand Prairie. At the age of five, she returned to Iowa. After high school graduation, she married Charles Peterson in Osceola, Iowa and had four children, Kathleen, Shirley, Linda, and Bonnie. The family then moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming and Debra and Danny were born there. The family later moved back to Iowa. In 1963, Maxine and her children moved to Sanger, Ca to be close to her retired parents and then to Visalia, CA. As a single mother, Maxine raised her children while working full time and taking night classes at College of the Sequoias and later Fresno State extension classes. She always encouraged her children to get a good education and work hard. She led by example, working as an accountant for a Sequoia Dairy and Kmart then later as an Eligibility Worker for Tulare County for 25 years. At the age of 60, Maxine met and married the love of her life, Boyce Goates. They were married 29 years until his death in 2019. With their marriage, she also acquired two more adult children, Vicki Elliott and Denise Goates and a wonderful, large additional family. She and Boyce established their home in Exeter and spent much of their time doing crafts and woodworking, camping with family at Shaver Lake, Wishon, and Costa's, and traveling. Maxine loved to spend time with her family and was never happier than when she and Boyce attended holidays, weddings and welcomed new babies to their family. She developed a love for drawing and painting at a very young age and continued to explore her art throughout her entire life. Maxine is survived by her sister Jean Sheldon of Tucson, AZ; her children Kathy Wells, Shirley Hughes (Don), Linda Reese (Rick), Bonnie Craddock, Debbie Howison, Dan Peterson (Suzie), and Vicki Elliott(Charlie); 14 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-grandchildren. She is predeceased by her husband Boyce and daughter Denise Goates; her parents, her siblings Willene, Max, Keith, Lucille, and Jerry; and her sons-in-law John Howison and John Wells. Maxine was loved and respected by her family, co-workers and Visalia Community Church of Christ family. Maxine's family wishes to thank the staff of Prestige Assisted Living of Visalia and Infinite Heart Hospice for the kind and loving care provided to our mother. We also want to thank Laura Hudson for her many years of loving home care to both Maxine and Boyce, her "adopted" parents. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation be made to the Alzheimer's Association or your favorite charity. Viewing will be held 4 PM - 7 PM Monday, October 17th, 2022 at Salser & Dillard Funeral Chapel, 127 E. Caldwell Ave., Visalia. Graveside services will be held 10:30 AM Tuesday, October 18th, 2022 at Visalia District Cemetery, 1300 W Goshen Ave, Visalia. Services have been entrusted to Salser & Dillard Funeral Chapel. Memorial Tributes and condolences may be offered by logging onto www.salseranddillard.com.

Maxine Alma Goates

July 9, 1929 - October 4, 2022