Lucretia Maxine (Easton) Schmucker was one of six children and was born on August 29, 1926, to Charles and Lela (Naser) Easton in rural Mitchell and grew up on farms in the area.  She married her high school sweetheart, Louis French, on June 5, 1948 and they had two sons, Douglas Evan French and Daniel Louis French.  After Louis' death on October 28, 1961 she married Bernie Schmucker on July 8, 1972.  Bernie died on January 25, 2018.

Maxine (better known as Max) graduated from Plano Consolidated High School and attended Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell and Northern State Teachers College at Aberdeen, where she obtained a rural grade school teaching certificate which she put to use in several rural schools in the area.  Later she worked at the Agriculture and Stabilization Service Office in Alexandria, SD, for several years.

Max loved her family and friends and her social life and was active in the Mitchell Garden Club, as well as many church and education committees including Philanthropic Education Organization.  She was proud to be a Shriner lady.

Preceding her in death were her parents, sister Mildred (Earl) Trabing; brothers Wayne Easton and Charles Easton; husbands Louis French and Bernie Schmucker.

She is survived by her sons, Doug French and Dan French; granddaughter Chelsy French; 2 great-granddaughters, Kerstyn and Stella; brother, Ronald (Jackie) Easton, sister Norma (Glenn) Cunningham; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.  She is also survived by step-children Morris (Lori) Schmucker, Jean Schmucker Moulton and step-grandson, Adam Schmucker.

Memorials may be directed to the Corn Palace Shriners Club.