Maxine Abercrombie Claar

Maxine Claar, age 94, went to be with her heavenly Father on April 16,2024. She was born Rucia Maxine Abercrombie on April 3, 1930 to Allie Horne Abercrombie and Austin Carroll Abercrombie. Maxine passed away peacefully at Home Place of Burlington with family. She was married to Arliss (Art) Claar (deceased) for 44 years. Maxine is survived by her three sons, Harvey Lindley III, Mark Lindley (wife Sandy Lindley) and Jimmy Lindley (wife Angie). Maxine also had two step children, Lynn Qualls (Harvey Qualls deceased) and Kim Claar (wife Terri). She had one sister, Ann Collie Abercrombie (deceased) and a brother, Edwin Abercrombie., also deceased. She is survived by many grandchildren and great grandchildren as well.

Maxine’s father was transferred from their home in Tennessee to Texas, then to South Carolina and finally to Burlington, North Carolina which she called home. Maxine was an educator for many years teaching at the Burlington School and in the Alamance Burlington School System. She taught elementary levels through high school. Maxine graduated from Elon College (now Elon University) in 1951 with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry. She was the Science Coordination in the former Alamance County School System years. Later, Maxine taught at Elon University as an adjunct professor where she supervised student teachers.  

Maxine’s favorite memories were teaching students in the areas of biology, chemistry and earth science. She enjoyed taking her students on trips to the North Carolina beaches as well as to the Bahamas. Art attended many of these trips with her. Maxine taught biology at Graham High School and was fondly referred to as “Mother Nature” due to her passion for the outdoors, insects and every animal as well as flowers and plants native to North Carolina.  Maxine earned many awards throughout her teaching career – one being Alamance County’s Teacher of the Year, Science Teacher of the Year several times, and received many other education rewards on both the local and state levels. Maxine was instrumental in educating many of her colleagues and elementary teachers about raising Monarch butterflies. She raised milkweed in her back yard and provided milkweed for teachers long after retiring. Her great grandchildren, Declan Lindley and Berklynn Lindley, love raising these butterflies in August and September each year.

Being active in her community, Maxine was a charter member of her professional organization, Delta Kappa Gamma (Beta Psi Chapter) and continued her lifetime membership. Maxine attended several yearly DKG State Conventions and was often a presenter. Maxine served as DKG President, Vice-President and held other officer positions. She also was an active member of a Bridge Club where she and Art often hosted in their home. Painting was also another love of hers. She painted with watercolors and even drew portraits of all her children. She was an amazing artist!   

Maxine was a member of First Baptist Church of Burlington for many years and attended regularly. She taught Sunday school on many levels - children through adult classes. Maxine loved designing flower arrangements and often designed them for Wednesday night suppers and for many other special occasions at the church. Maxine served for years on the Hospitality/Flower Committee with her friend, Marjorie Liles. She had such a gift with flowers, identifying them as well as designing arrangements. Maxine was a Wild Food Expert for North Carolina as well.  She and Art often attended wild food events across the state and would come back with new ideas on how to prepare and serve native plants from the land and protein sources from the ocean. She would also go into classrooms and provide students the opportunity to try different foods – squid, snails, octopus and would serve many dishes using edible plants – violets presented on crackers,  sassafras tea, and dandelion pancakes to name a few. What wonderful experiences she was able to offer students in Burlington and Alamance County.

Later in life, Art and Maxine learned how to snow ski and would travel to the North Carolina and Virginia Mountains and to Colorado to ski. At times, she and Art took their children as well as grandchildren with them. They were active in Burlington’s local Senior Olympics and brought home many medals playing badminton.

Maxine was a true southern lady, always well dressed, beautiful (named Miss Burlington Bees of 1950) and always generous with her time to help others. She loved entertaining, traveling (Australia, England, Ireland, Scotland and her and Art’s favorite - Alaska), gardening, wildflowers, painting and most importantly Maxine loved her family deeply. She will be greatly missed.