Maxine Bordigon

Maxine Gloria Holder Sherwin Bordigon

January 29, 1928 – April 5, 2026

Maxine was born January 29, 1928, at Mrs. Estler's home in Fort Robinson, Nebraska. That house was later moved into Crawford where it still stands. She was the second of five daughters born to William and Mary Britton Holder. Their first daughter, LaVera, was born in 1925, died aged two from complications following diphtheria.

The Holder family lived in Fort Robinson in several places until moving into Crawford, Nebraska, in 1934. William was a farm laborer until 1941, when he became a plumber’s helper.

Maxine started first grade at the rural school near her grandparent’s home on East Ash Creek where her mother had attended through 8th grade. When her parents moved to Elm St. in Crawford, Maxine continued in the East Ash Creek school until after Christmas. She finished the first grade in the Crawford school. Maxine played soprano sax in band in 4th grade and alto sax from 1942. She played in a dance band a couple of times in Crawford. She continued playing by herself at home for many more years. She graduated with the class of 1946, then got a special teaching certificate to teach Levi Richard's rural school on West Ash Creek. She lived with Levi and Polly and their two sons, walking to school with Bill and Spence every day.

Maxine enrolled in a class in Omaha, Nebraska, learning to use a key punch machine. Then, she got a job with Union Pacific Railroad where she

met and married Wendell Sherwin August, 1950. They were married in the Catholic Church in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Wendell was in ROTC and was drafted into the Marines. He took his training in California and Maxine found a job there. When his term was up, they returned to Omaha and the UP railroad job, but liked California so well, they managed to get a transfer back there with Union Pacific. Their daughter, Lisa, completed their family in 1957. Maxine and Wendell divorced. Wendell remarried, and passed away in 1990, in Idaho.

Maxine and Leo Bordigon were married in 1977. They moved to Crawford in 1993. Leo died in 2002, and is buried in the Crawford Cemetery, Crawford, Nebraska. He was survived by two sons by his first marriage.

Maxine worked in many different office jobs over the years. She made lifelong friends every place she worked and lived, writing to everyone often. Later she kept in close touch through daily e-mails. Maxine enjoyed reading and writing and had a story published in a True West magazine. She loved to be with family and adored her cats. She will be greatly missed.

Maxine was able to spend her last 6+ years in the mountains of Arizona close to Lisa and Gary. Those were special years that were a blessing to all.

She is survived by her daughter Lisa (Gary) Starks, granddaughter Amanda (Jesse) Rocha and their children Logan and Julia, step son Terry Bordigon, her sisters: Bettirae Thornton and her family: Shelley (Paul) Roby, Debra (Bill) Mack and Cynthia (Benjamin) Herrera and their families; her sister Myrna Johnson and her family: Webb (Dianne) Johnson and their families. Also survived by the family of her late sister and brother-in-law, Wanda (Byron) Brummond: son Bill (Erin) Brummond and family, daughter Dominique (Dan), and numerous great nieces and nephews. Surviving cousins and extended families including: Denniss (Delores) Vik of WY, Michael Britton of Wash., Rebecca Amick of SD, Marilyn Hills, Linda (Don) Reece, Jan Hoffman, Alice Kritenbrink of Chadron, Dean (Vickie) Welling, Keith Welling, Melvin (Patty) Jones, Carolyn (Lon) Lemmon, Dale Britton, Gary Homrighausen of Crawford, Jeannine (Dave) Connelly of Whitney, Ray (Sheri) Hoevet of WY, his brother Richard Hoevet, Naomi Clark and Doris Rising of Alliance, NE, Sharon Christie of MO, and many relatives and friends not mentioned who will miss her soft voice and charisma.

Maxine was preceded in death by grandson David Starks, her parents, her sisters: LaVera Holder, Wanda and husband Byron Brummond, brothers-in-law Gene Thornton and Arnold Johnson, niece and her husband Wendy Johnson Smades and Mark, stepson Gary Bordigon, all of her aunts and uncles.

A memorial service will be 10 A.M. June 16, 2026 at Chamberlain Chapel in Crawford, NE, a social lunch gathering will follow burial in the Crawford Cemetery, place to be announced.