MERCER, Cecile M. (Puckett)

Cecile Maxine Mercer died December 19, 2009 at the age of 86, in Silverton, Oregon. She was born on April 4, 1923, to Edward N. and Amanda Puckett in Perryton, Texas. She grew up in Enid, Oklahoma where her father managed the Union Equity grain cooperative. As a child, she lost all the fingers on one hand in an auto accident, but never let that be a disability. She graduated from Oklahoma College for Women with a Bachelor of Arts, and was an accomplished painter, sculptor, weaver and poet. She studied sculpture with George Stanley, the sculptor who designed the Oscar. She met the love of her life, Marne L. Mercer when he was stationed at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma during WWII. They married in Enid and honeymooned in Oklahoma City and Louisiana before he shipped out with the 40th Field Artillery for Europe. While he served as a spotter pilot in the war, Maxine lived in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. On the boat home, Marne won enough in a poker game to buy Maxine a new diamond watch and the young couple settled in Salt Lake City, Utah. Moving to California, they had two sons, Marne Jr. (Lee) and Laurence Winston (Larry), and lived in Berkeley, San Mateo, Fresno, Sunland and Saratoga. They raised their sons with lots of camping trips and cultural activities, and became avid sailors. While in Saratoga Maxine ran an art gallery, The Horse's Mouth, for a number of years. Marne and Maxine also travelled extensively in Europe, Asia and North America. When Marne retired, they moved to Hagerman, Idaho, and later back to Aptos, on the coast of California. In their late eighties, they moved one last time to Silverton, Oregon, where they have enjoyed being close to family, taking walks in the neighborhood, lunches at the Towne House and taking in the natural beauty of Oregon. Maxine was a warm, caring and compassionate woman. Her creativity inspired and her sense of humor entertained all who knew her. She was a quietly spiritual woman who shared great insight in her poetry. In recent years she has suffered from debilitating anxieties and has been cared for diligently by her faithful husband of 66 years, Marne. She was preceded in death by her son, Larry, and is survived by her husband, Marne; and son, Lee; grandkids, Dawn, Ammon, Rob and Bryan; great-grandkids, Zoe, Korina, Kyle, Sally and Wyatt; her sister, Gwen; and brother, Bud. She will be missed by all who knew her. A private memorial will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made in Maxine's name to Silverton Area Community Aid (SACA), the ALS Association of Oregon and S.W. Washington, or the Oregon Center for Public Policy.