Maxine Rockstead

Maxine Rockstead of Janesville passed away May 31, 2021, at Agrace in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, following a long battle with Alzheimer’s/dementia. She was born in June 1943 to Martha (Topp) McCarthy and Malcolm John McCarthy. Maxine was preceded in death by her husband, Roger Rockstead; her parents; a brother, John M. (Alta) McCarthy; her sister, Margie (Elmer) Nightingale; aunts, uncles, and other relatives. Maxine is survived by her brother, Michael (Debra) McCarthy of Janesville; children, April (David) Barker of Waukesha and Arne (Sandy) Rockstead of Orfordville; grandchildren, Keith Johnson of Los Angeles, California; Amelia Barker; Joe, Rachel, and Jessi Brabant; nieces and nephews, including Mary Garvin; John (Kathy) Nightingale; Jim (Evelyn) Nightingale; Nancy Gillespie; Sally (Don) Schroeder; Tom (Karen) Nightingale; Kristine Nightingale; Mark (Kim) Nightingale; Marcy (Tom Cooper) Nightingale; and Jeana Nightingale; and many cousins. Maxine was also grateful to have reconnected with a son, Erik Ellestad, who had been adopted. Maxine graduated from Janesville High School in 1961. She took pride in her speed and accuracy in the data entry field, but she had many interests outside work. Nature, wildlife, and conservation were important to Maxine. She and her husband, Roger, planted thousands of trees on their property, transforming their homestead into an oasis for wildlife amid the surrounding farm fields.Maxine cared for injured and orphaned animals on her property. She bottle-fed raccoons when their mother was struck by a car. A bird that had been injured in a storm and which survived due to Maxine’s care subsequently became so fond of her that for the rest of its life, it would fly to her and sit on her shoulder. Maxine also loved dogs and cats, adopting many beloved pets over the years. She had a close relationship with a gosling that followed her when she walked outside.She enjoyed the outdoors and camping in the Nicolet National Forest with her husband. Maxine was not deterred by difficult conditions and would don mosquito netting, if necessary, to spend time in the deep woods. Roger and Maxine shared a sense of adventure, and they took many road trips together, including a family drive West through the Dakotas and Montana. On one of their visits to Texas, Roger and Maxine set out borrowing their goal from the George Strait song, “Amarillo By Morning.” They nearly made it, stopping just a few hours shy of their target. Maxine was an avid gardener, indoors and out. In addition to vast vegetable gardens and numerous houseplants that she tended, she cultivated a lush and thriving herb garden that featured rare, fragrant varieties such as apple mint and pineapple sage. She also had a special gift for maintaining the cactus plants that she brought with her from South Texas, where Roger and Maxine lived when they first married. A talented seamstress, Maxine made curtains as well as seat and mattress coverings for the home and for their campers over the years; Halloween costumes for her children; and dresses for special occasions. She constructed several elaborate “window quilts” that were both beautiful and energy efficient. She would often comment in stores, “We can make that at home,” and she could and did. Maxine had a vision for transforming places and things, which she applied while renovating the 1870s A-frame country house that she and Roger remade in the image of a modern log cabin. She sought to be a life-long learner and earned an Associate’s Degree in mid-life. She also took up and mastered various hobbies from time to time, such as canning and small-scale stained-glass projects, among others. Maxine was a proponent of natural food and all things organic, composting long before it came into style. An independent thinker, Maxine was polite, quiet, and friendly in public, but she was not shy about making her opinions known at home or among those she knew well. She sought to instill independence in her children, and she had a soft spot for her grandchildren.Maxine and Roger were supporters of Rawhide Boys’ Ranch, among other charities. Maxine will be remembered for her intelligence, sense of humor, ingenuity, and kindness to God’s creatures.The family wishes to extend its gratitude to the many caregivers who assisted Maxine during her time at Oak Park Place, Rock Haven, and Agrace, respectively. In lieu of flowers, donations in Maxine’s honor may be made to Rawhide Boys’ Ranch, New London, Wisconsin, or to “Hoo” Haven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center, Durand, Illinois. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 5, 2021 at ST. PATRICK’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, Janesville. Father Drew Olson will preside. Burial will follow in Bethel Cemetery, Center Township. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, June 4, 2021 at HENKE-CLARSON FUNERAL HOME, Janesville.