Mary Maxine Crabtree Perry died peacefully among family on Dec. 20, 2022. She was 91.

She was known to most as Maxine. She was born in Oakdale, Tenn. on March 25, 1931 to Dillard and Dora Crabtree. She was raised in Oakdale.

She moved to the Vineyard because it was her first husband’s birthplace; although their union didn’t last, she fell in love with the Island and lived here for approximately 60 years. She managed the Island’s Sears store for more than 40 years and is remembered by the community as the “face” of Sears. She also worked at various gift shops to stay active during her retirement. She greeted many a visitor, customer and neighbor with a warm smile and witty conversation. She built several houses on the Island and her last residence was at 22 Tellette street in Oak Bluffs.

She moved from the Vineyard to Tennessee in October 2017 to live closer to her brother Fox Crabtree and sister in law Mary Crabtree so they could provide support in her later years. Because of the unfortunate effects of dementia, she spent her last few years at the Signature Healthcare Memory Care facility in Rockwood, Tenn., where she died,

She will be remembered for her kind thoughtfulness to others throughout her life.

Maxine is survived by her daughter Joyce, son Bruce, four grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.