Maxine Ruth Burley

Maxine Ruth Burley, 81, passed away Monday, March 30th, 2020, at her home in Great Falls, Montana, after a lengthy illness. Her memorial services are temporarily on hold due to the current health situation and will be announced when a date and time are determined. 

Maxine was born on January 31, 1939, in Great Falls, MT, to Robert and June Stewart; she was one of six children. She attended school in Belt, MT, for most of her scholar years, and subsequently graduated from Belt High School. As a teen, Max worked at Klick’s Camp near Gibson Dam, the Black Diamond Café in Belt, Park Café in Fairfield, a beauty salon in Sunburst, and Gov-Mart in Renton, WA. She was also a passionate and proud EMT with the Belt Ambulance; she carried this role for many, many years. 

After meeting her first husband, Edward P. Puppe, they married in 1957 and eventually moved to Renton, WA. Together they raised 4 children, but later divorced.

While vacationing in Montana in the summer of 1970, Maxinemet Kenneth L. Burley. She ultimately relocated back to Belt, MT with Ken, marrying shortly after on September 5, 1970. In 1971, they welcomed their last child, and quickly settled in as a family of 5. Ken and Maxine owned and operated Ken’s Eastside Bar until Ken’s untimely death in July of 2003. Max continued operation of the bar until 2005.

If you were lucky enough to know Maxine, it was easy to determine one of her greatest passions was camping with her grandchildren. From Lake Placid to the Little Belt Mountains, no campground was too far. In addition, her hobbies includedsnow-birding in Arizona with her cousins, sewing, crocheting and knitting, perms at her kitchen table, baking family wedding cakes, and taking long country drives with her husband. She was never the best fisherman, but she tried. An even worse hunter, yet she still tried. Max was always up for an adventure and made sure to keep the best kept lawn on the block. One of her most treasured vacations was exploring Alaska with her husband and daughter Bobbi.

Maxine is survived by her son, Scott (Denise) Puppe of Belt, MT; daughters, Bobbi (Greg) Seeds, of Lake Havasu, AZ, Marcia (Daniel) Thompson of Brady, MT, and Terri (Rick) Bogden, of Cascade, MT; 11 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren;  sisters, Charlotte Engen of Phoenix, AZ, Sharon (Jim) Maberry of Great Falls, MT, and Patsy Coleman of Las Vegas, NV; and her great aunt, Midge of Missoula, MT. In addition to many cousins, nieces, nephews, whom she loved dearly. 

She is proceeded in death by her husband, Kenneth L. Burley; parents, Robert and June Stewart; brother, Jerry Stewart; infant baby sister, and her beloved daughter, Paula Burley. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Maxine’s name to the Belt Ambulance in Belt, MT.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Maxine Ruth Burley, please visit our floral store.