Maxine Catherine Person, age 85, of Hartford, SD, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at Ava's House Hospice in Sioux Falls, SD.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Christ Lutheran Church (701 N Main Ave) in Hartford, SD. A visitation, with family present to greet friends, will be held for one hour before the start of the memorial service. Interment will follow at the Hartford Community Cemetery.

Maxine Catherine Person was born on June 30th, 1941, to Lafayette Dudley and Jabina Catherine (Spohnholz) Ball in Estelline, SD. She graduated from high school in Howard, SD. After high school, she moved to Sioux Falls, where she was a nanny and a substitute teacher. Maxine always loved children. Sioux Falls is where she met Donavin Ralph Person. They were married November 7th, 1962, in Luverne, Minnesota. She gained three stepchildren, Laurie Gill, Jeffrey Person, and Larry Person.  Maxine and Don completed their family with two sons, Jay Person and Scott Person. They lived most of their life together in Hartford, SD, where Donavin was the Chief of Police and guard at the South Dakota State Penitentiary. Maxine worked in the printing industry for years until she retired early due to health issues. She spent the next thirty years caring for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren in her home.

Maxine loved spending time at Brant Lake and camping. In their later years, Don and Max often camped at Yogi Bear with family, which the great-grandchildren loved. Maxine made her house a home for anyone who walked in her door or sat on her porch. She liked being home crocheting, reading, and watching her soaps, occasionally taking trips to Sioux Falls to do some shopping at Kmart. She enjoyed her coffee and the "foo-foo" iced lattes her family would bring her. She adored her sons and the daughter she never birthed, Laurie. Her greatest blessings were her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Grateful for sharing her life are her children Jay Person of Hartford, SD, and Scott (Christy) Person of Oacoma, SD; and her stepchildren Jeffrey Person of Sioux Falls, SD; Laurie Gill of Fountain Inn, SC; Larry (Mary) Person of Sioux Falls, SD.

Her grandchildren Amanda (Mark) Kriens of Trent, SD; Michael Person of Valley Springs, SD; Nichole (Josh) Herman of Parker, SD; Me'Shaya (Adam) Tripp of Hartford, SD; Cody (Nichole Eickstadt) Jensen of Chancellor, SD; Courteney Person of Hartford, SD; Amber (Sam) Tschappat of Aiken, SC; Haley Upchurch of Fountain Inn, SC; Zachary (Courtney) Person of California; Christopher Person of Florida.

Her great-grandchildren Brynlee, Kade and Ella Kriens; Nolan Eickstadt; Maggie and Nora Herman; Logan, Layla and Joshua Person; Twila, Archer and Vivian Tripp; Hazel Tschappat; Addison and Austin Kemp; Nolan Person.

Maxine was preceded in death by her husband, Donavin Ralph Person; her parents, sisters Norma and Pat; and beloved grandson, Landry Person.