On November 5, 2016 we will Celebrate the Life of Maxine Logan Portman Griffith. Maxine Logan Portman Griffith was born on December 3, 1929 in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania to Maxwell and Isabel Portman. After graduating from Beaver Falls High School in 1947, Maxine attended Geneva College. In 1948, Maxine’s father was transferred from the Babcock and Wilcox plant in Beaver Falls to Alliance, Ohio. Maxine enrolled in Mount Union College in Alliance where she met her future husband John. John and Maxine were married March 24, 1951. After college Maxine taught school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania while John was stationed in the army at nearby Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Pennsylvania. John and Maxine had 3 children; Brad, Tod and Jody. The family resided in Warren Ohio, Youngstown Ohio, Lima Ohio, Des Moines, Iowa and White Bear Lake Minnesota. John and Maxine found a place they could truly call home in Birchwood Village where they resided from 1967 – 2009. In 1967 Maxine returned to teaching. During this second teaching career, Maxine taught in the Mahtomedi and White Bear Lake School system in subjects ranging from English, Spanish and what became her ultimate passion, helping students with their English and Reading skills. In addition to her duties as a public school teacher, Maxine taught Junior High Sunday School at First Presbyterian Church of White Bear Lake and helped newly arrived Hmong immigrants improve their English language and reading skills. Throughout her adolescence and adult life she sewed clothing for herself and family. Later in life she became a quilter and was affectionately known as the Guardian Angel of the Bear Patch Quilt Shop in White Bear Lake. Maxine retired from teaching at White Bear Lake’s Central Middle School in 1991. However her teaching career was not over. After being diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease that would ultimately take her vision, Maxine assisted others with similar challenges learn how to adjust and persevere. At 8:30 pm on Thursday October 20, 2016, Maxine Logan Portman Griffith passed from this world to eternal life. She is now reunited with her parents, sister Joan, husband John and son Tod. She is survived by children Brad (Karen) Griffith and Jody (Bob) Brennan, Daughter in Law Deborah Griffith, grandchildren Rob, Madeline and Perry Brennan and Katie and Ben Griffith. Maxine will be missed but never forgotten. It is with love and gratitude that we Celebrate the Life of Maxine Logan Portman Griffith.
 Memorials to: Vision Loss Resources c/o Maxine Griffith Memorial 1936 Lyndale Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55403