Maxine Bakker

Maxine Lee Andre Bakker

Our loving wife and mother, Maxine Lee (Andre) Bakker, 85, nicknamed Mickey, returned to our Heavenly Father on April 15, 2022, peacefully from complications due to Alzheimer's.

She was born July 26,1936 in Blackfoot, Idaho to George Edwin Andre and Mette Pearl (Petersen) Andre. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was living in American Fork, Utah approximately for the last 25 years. Maxine served in many church callings over her life, including being the Relief Society President and an early morning Seminary teacher in Battle Creek, Michigan.

She graduated from Oregon State College with a bachelor's degree in 1957, as a Home Economist. She had many talents which included sewing for her children, art, painting, frugality, and playing the piano.  Because of her frugality, she had a "kids shoe store" in the basement where she had collected shoes at a reduced price, so that when her children needed new shoes, they could choose a pair of shoes that she had already purchased.

Robert and Maxine went on a blind date with another couple to Huntington Beach, California and had pizza.  As things progressed, and they became a couple and
Robert Harm Bakker and Maxine married September 10, 1960, in Santa Ana, California. She was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1962 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Robert was in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and was assigned to Albuquerque, New Mexico where they had their first 3 children, Mark, Clark, and Annette. Their first set of twins were Mark and Clark. Clark passed away after 3 days of living because his lungs were not fully formed.

They were sealed as a family for time and all eternity in the Los Angeles Temple with their children, Mark, Clark and Annette on December 23, 1963. That same year Robert was transferred for a 3-year assignment in Wiesbaden, Germany. Military housing was full, so the children were not allowed to go. Robert did not want to be separated from his family, so he asked his aunt in Holland to write a letter requesting that the USAF allow his family to reside with her in Amsterdam, Holland. Approval was given, so the family was flown to Germany and the family remained with him there, instead of moving them to Holland.  They lived in 2-bedroom apartments in Germany, one was an attic, and the other was a basement.

Later, Robert was given temporary duty orders to work in England, while Maxine remained alone with 2 small children in Germany. Because Maxine didn't speak German the language barrier was extremely difficult. They missed each other immensely. While in London, Robert did temple work to ease his burden of being away from his family. When the temporary duty assignment was finished, they were extremely happy to be reunited.

They had 3 more children while in Germany, Yvonne and Brent (the second set of twins), and Janine, military housing was offered 1 year before the family left Germany.
Robert joined Civil Services after 13 years in the Air Force and was assigned to Yuma, Arizona and then Dayton, Ohio where he was a Computer Systems Analyst. Then they moved back to Albuquerque, New Mexico where Julie, their 7th child was born. They moved to Battle Creek, Michigan for 18 years, and then later moved to Springfield, Virginia for 3 years where Robert worked, and Maxine did genealogy in Washington D.C. archives.

Lastly, they retired in the Salt Lake area where she enjoyed temple work and genealogy. Together they traveled throughout the country which enabled Maxine to find information in small town courthouse basements and cemeteries. Her research allowed her to help thousands of ancestors by submitting names and doing temple work for them during her travels and vacations. She was extremely driven and overjoyed by doing their temple work.

She is survived by her husband of 61 years; her children Mark Bakker of Marina, California; Annette (David) Findlay of South Jordan, Utah; Yvonne (Carl, deceased) Hawley of Melbourne, Florida; Brent Bakker (Valerie Hall) of Riverton, Utah; Janine (Jim) Britton of Nicholasville, Kentucky; Julie Nestro of Ashburn, Virginia; 12 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her son Clark who lived 3 days; a son-in-law, Carl Hawley; and a stillborn grandbaby.

The family would like to thank the loving caregivers for the last 12+ months who have treated Maxine with tender and compassionate care.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, April 21st, 2022, at 11:00 am (Mountain Standard Time) at The Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints - American Fork 24th Ward Chapel, 975 North 60th East, American Fork, Utah where a viewing will be held from 9:45am to 10:45am, one hour prior to services. Interment will be at the American Fork Cemetery, 26 West 600 North Street, American Fork, Utah immediately following.

Please click on the link below to watch the services for Maxine via live stream.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87923179484?pwd=NGdVVkQ0bzBkeTZML2Z5czNTcHFzdz09