Column By Edres Bryant Barney
How can you write the story of a couple who have spent 75 years together and write it in such a way that it does them justice and is interesting to the reader?
Charles Edward Maxwell, Jr. (Chuck) was born in Globe, Arizona, on Jan. 12, 1930, the first child and son of Anna Corinne Nordstrom and Charles Edward Maxwell. His dad was the butcher for Piggly Wiggly, a national grocery store chain at the time. Six years later, the family moved to the Bisbee area, where his dad was a butcher for the Stevens Grocery for the Lowell store. By then, younger brother John Collier had also joined the family.
Chuck’s youth was spent in and around the hills of Bisbee with its varied communities prior to his attendance at the imposing 4-story Bisbee High School, where, as a junior, he started keeping company with a vivacious, cute little freshman.
Viola May is a first-generation American, born to parents Grace Ann Penberthy and James Herbert George Vivian on Sept. 17, 1932, who had come to the United States from Cornwall, Great Britain, about 14 years earlier, bringing Vi’s older brother, Bert, 20 years her senior, with them. The family lived in various places in the Midwest and the West, where Mr. Vivian was an experienced miner, prior to settling in Bisbee. Between Bert and Vi, there was another boy, Calvin Lawrence, who died at age six from an allergic reaction to the diphtheria vaccine. As a baby, Vi won a Sears National Baby Beauty Contest. As a child, Vi was afflicted with nephritis. When she was four and moments away from boarding the train to go to El Paso, where doctors would remove her diseased kidney, Dr. Quinn came to their home and told them the surgery was canceled and they were going to try a new “wonder drug” called sulfa. Also, at age four, Vi lost her father to a mining accident. Bert was like a father, and his wife, Susie, was like another mother. Thus, Vi grew up, sheltered from the normal “chores” of childhood. Despite her pampered upbringing, she grew into a responsible young lady, clerking at the Phelps-Dodge store after graduating from high school, where she had worked during the seasonal and other promotions. Vi’s mother had purchased eight houses for taxes and, with the help of Bert and her brother-in-law, Ernie Hofking, fixed them up for rentals, which provided a good income for many years.
Chuck had earned enough money the semester after high school graduation to see him through his freshman year at Arizona State Teachers College in Tempe. ROTC was mandatory in those years. He expected to work for the mine during the summer, but the miners were on strike. He worked on the churn drill at the open-pit mine. He was drafted into the U.S. Army, taking his basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was then sent to Columbia, South Carolina, and became a member of Easy Company. He came home on a 10-day leave and married Vi. She did not have a pastor at her church at the time, so the Latter-day Saint bishop, Ralph Peterson, married them at her mother’s home. A few hours earlier, he had also married their friends, Betty Huff and Jim Linn. The guys with their new wives went to South Carolina to adjust to married life until Chuck was shipped to Germany (not Korea) to finish out his service. Since Vi was expecting their first child, she went home to await the baby and Chuck. Charles was born at the Copper Queen Hospital and was 6 weeks old when Chuck returned.
They lived in one of her mother’s rentals, and Chuck began employment again with the Phelps Dodge Mining Co. His work was underground, open-pit, and mechanical. As a machinist, he did a wide variety of work. In a competition, Chuck came in second in Arizona for the Apprentice category. Their years in Bisbee gave them two daughters: Gwendolyn Sue and Derra Ann. Vi taught piano to beginners for two years prior to being baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1967, Chuck was recruited by the general manager of the new facility being built in Tyrone, NM, as Maintenance Manager, a role he held for seven years. They lived 35 miles from the church in Cotton City and had members they visited as far as 90 miles. Chuck’s church service has been long and numerous, too many to list here. A few of his callings were: cub master, scout leader, Sunday school teacher, teacher development leader, ward clerk, counselor in bishopric, bishop, high priest group leader, counselor in Stake Young Men presidency, and high counselor.
Vi worked as a billing clerk for Western New Mexico University and, for 23 years, as a secretary to PD managers, also racking up a long list of church service while working and raising their family. In addition to her employment, Vi had owned Maxwell’s Design, a flower shop, for about 14 years. Her expertise in flower arranging kept lovely arrangements at various chapels in Luna, NM; Duncan; Cotton City; Animas; Pima Stake Center Ground Breaking; and Pima Stake Center. She originated the Festival of Trees in Cotton City and chaired it for 11 years. Some of her church callings were: primary teacher, laurel adviser, counselor in Relief Society Presidency, Young Women President, Seminary Teacher, counselor in stake Relief Society presidency, member of Building Committee, Activities Committee chair, and Organist.
Their story would not be complete without mentioning hobbies they each have, the results of which they share so generously with others. Chuck has always liked working with his hands; he has done woodcarving, leatherwork, cabinetry, beekeeping, gardening, hunting, hiking in the Colorado Wilderness & the Gila Wilderness. He designed and built their home in Alpine with the help of his son and son-in-law. When lightning struck a tree in the front yard, he carved a bear out of what remained.
Collecting antiques was Vi’s hobby. She has made countless quilts, lap robes, table runners, and flower arrangements. She is making the arrangements for each table at their celebration on June 27 at the LDS Cultural Hall on Highway 70 in Pima, as well as helping with the food. Vi spent two months in the hospital in 1965, the result of another driver’s inattention. Being in a wheelchair since 2021 has slowed her, but by no means stopped her. She continues to create beautiful items which she shares with family and friends.
In addition to Charles, Gwen, and Derra, they raised a grandson, Aaron, have nine grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. The couple has spent their lifetime enlarging on the talents they were given and developing others. Chuck and Vi ended their long-time residency in New Mexico with a move from Plyas to Pima in 1994, where they have since made their home and continue their active participation in community and church.
When asked the secret to a long marriage, Vi’s response: “The grass is not greener elsewhere. What you got is what you got. No one is perfect, be patient.” Chuck: “Our generation saw the commitment of our parents and grandparents to each other and wanted that same commitment. Everyone has faults and shortcomings. Be patient.”
