ARLINGTON The family of Arlington resident and former Marysville business owner Theodore H. Maxin gathered at the Regency Care Center March 11 to celebrate his 103rd birthday.
Maxin was born March 15, 1904, in Tacoma to Albert and Martha Maxin, who migrated from Reykjavik, Iceland, first to Canada, then to Tacoma, before settling down in Olympia.
Although Maxins brothers, James, Christian and Magnus, and sisters, Gudrun and Sigadrief, have all passed on, he was joined at his birthday celebration by his wife Mildred, whom he married in Olympia on April, 23, 1947, and their children.
Maxins son, Theodore Albert Maxin, came from Olympia with his wife, Karen. His daughter, Loleta Klein, lives with her husband, Gerald, in Arlington. Maxins other daughters, Coleen Haxby of Albany, Ore., and Catherine Seifert of Lake Tapps, Wash., were also in attendance, the latter with her husband, Larry.
Maxins other birthday party guests included his 17 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Mildred recalled meeting her future husband at his filling station in Olympia.
He would yell at me every time I went by, she said.
Mildred and her husband owned several businesses in Washington and Oregon, including their gasoline station and home on the corner of State and Grove streets in Marysville starting in 1948.
Weve been together our whole lives, Mildred said. In 60 years, weve never been separated. Hes a great guy and hes taken great care of me.
Maxins family thanked the staff of the Regency Care Center for the thoughtfulness and love shown toward him during his stay.