Maxine Brumbaugh

Ida Maxine Murphye Brumbaugh passed away at home surrounded by her loved ones, the afternoon of, October 30, 2020. She was born at home to Thomas and Minnie (Caudill) Murphye weighing in at 10 pounds in Jay, Oklahoma December 21, 1927. Maxine who often went by Mac was the 2nd oldest of the 5 Murphye girls: Neoma, Tommy Jean, Frances, & Uvonne. She grew up on the family farm along a creek in a place called Butler Community where the girls worked just as hard as any boyś. They raised cattle and fed and milked the cows every morning before the 1 mile walks to school. She graduated a Ridgerunner from Grove High School in 1945. She moved in with her grandmother during her senior year of high school and worked in cafeś usually in the back cooking and peeling potatoes. She met Kenneth L. Brumbaugh at a livestock auction she attended with her father. Her childhood friend Troy Guinn introduced her to a man from Kansas 12 years her senior. Kenneth and Maxine wrote letters back and forth to each other and their love grew from there. They decided one weekend that it would be a good time to get married and they drove across the state line to Bentonville, Arkansas where you could get married without a blood test. In 1950 in Oklahoma blood tests were required prior to marriage to ensure that your spouse was not a sibling or did not have in-depth health problems. They wed with her wearing her sisterś good Sunday dress. Our grandpa Kenneth brought his new bride back to his small rental apartment in Wyoming a few days later. When Kenneth left his apt to go find his new bride, he had a dog named Bosco. He put Bosco out of the house because he had asked a neighbor to watch him for a few days as he was going to be gone to pick up his new wife. Several days had passed and Kenneth scooped up his new wife to bring her to his freshly cleaned home and there it stood. The sofa that Bosco had chewed up the entire time that Kenneth had been gone. He thought the dog had been locked outside, but actually, the dog had been locked inside and chewed up all the leather furniture! Maxine had no idea Kenneth even had a dog and she took 3 steps into her future wondering, what kind of life this guy was going to give her! They would spend the next 50 years providing surprise after surprise. Kenneth started the family with his daughter, our Shirley Ann from a previous marriage. Years later our Uncle Jim and Uncle Bill joined the family as well as many foster children including Mary Gentry who was a very special part of the family. Then in 1961 baby Josie joined the family in Prosser, WA. Our grandparents built their dream home along the river and had many fun nights giggin´ frogs and enjoying the moonlight in the canoe. It was near this point that our grandparents went from working in the fieldś to owning the field they were working in. They purchased grapes, asparagus, and a never ending hay field and it never held them up a single day of work. From there our grandparents moved to Sunnyside and bought a place near the Johnson Concentrate Operation. This is the place where our grandparents thrived. The Cabins as it was called, was home to many migrant families. Our grandparents never saw color, they only saw people. This is where they made some of their closest friends. Fred Soto was their right-hand man. Fred was the one who would hold down the fort when Ken and Mac went to Yuma, Arizona and Mexico for the winter in the 80ś and 90ś. They spent many winterś down south making memories with friends and family. Ken and Mac loved everyone. They crossed many people from Mexico to Washington and enjoyed reuniting families here in Washington. They listened to the stories of people who came from little and wanted nothing more but a piece of life in America. Kenneth & Maxine had the opportunity to buy a few houses that were in disrepair and work on them. Our grandparents were plumbers, roofers and a jack of all trades. They would learn as they went and would end with a wonderful project. My grandma used to always say ¨We never lived high on the hog¨. After every day working on the rentals, our Grandpa would say, “Time to go back to the poor house¨ and laugh. Our grandparents had simplistic ideals. Work hard, be nice to others. Respect otherś differences. It’s ok to not agree with people, but always live life with kindness. OUr grandma Mac was preceded in death by her 4 Murphye Sisters, Her parents, her Son Bill Brumbaugh, son in law James Barber as well as her beloved sisterś and brotherś in law. She was also preceded in death by her husband of over 50 years, Kenneth who died in 2007. She is survived by daughter Josie Brumbaugh of Sunnyside, WA & step daughter Shirley Barber of Phoenix, AZ as well as son James Wehunt of Zillah, WA. She also leaves behind the grandchildren she loved very much. Josieś children; Lora (Ruben) Solis, Jennifer (Sixto) Solis, all of Sunnyside, WA, and Joey Schons or POrtland, OR. Shirleyś children: Cyd ( Greggory) West, Pam Goux, & Beth (Kevin) Ivins. James´ children April Martinez, Misty Simmons, Tonya Turley & Jamie (Tricia) Simmons and daughter in love, Rachel Moore. OUr grandma also leaves behind many treasured grandchildren and great grands. Damian (Diana) his young daughter Janae, Kyla & Ava. Kristin, Violet, Zander & Scarlett. As well as Anyssa, Natasha, Alyssa, Carissa & great-grand Kamila. Also Adasha, Sadiez, Taya, and the great grandś Amara, Aliana, & new baby Cruz. Jeremy, Joshua & Ashley. As well as Abimael, Zaethean, Shayanna, Junisa. Her Arizona girls, Lindsay, Kelly, Emma & Claire. Also her daughter in love Diana Wilson and her sonś we called John & Bri including their many children. PLus the many children who she rocked to sleep in her arms and the teens who raided her refrigerator; Little Jen, Devin L. Kim M. Nicki W. and all the friends of her grandchildren who needed a place to lay their heads. We hope that our grandmother goes into her final resting place knowing that she was loved by all who knew her and that she made an impact in the lives of many. She was beautiful and wonderful and innocent and kind. And she was ours. Thank you all for joining us. Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the life of our grandma, Maxine. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Maxine Brumbaugh, please visit our flower store.