Bettie Maxine O. Partin

Bettie Maxine O. Partin, 85 of Gainesville passed away Thursday January 18, 2018

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and caring friend went to be with our Lord on January 18, 2018.  Bettie Maxine O’Quinn was born in Wayne County, Odum, Georgia October 16, 1932 to parents George Duncan and Verdie O’Quinn.  She was raised in Jesup, Georgia where her father was the local sheriff naturally giving her eyes in back of her head.  Maxine excelled in athletics while in high school playing basketball and tennis and also being a member of the cheerleading squad.  She attended one year at the University of Georgia before returning to Jesup. After which she became an ardent University of Alabama and Georgia Tech fan.  It made no sense.

In Jesup, while working for ITT Rayoneer, Maxine met the love of her life, William D. Partin from Big Springs, Texas. She handed him his paycheck every two weeks and they decided to make it a permanent deal. They married and moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and then to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where three of their four children were born.  They briefly lived in Freeport, Grand Bahama before returning to Ft. Lauderdale then moving to Gainesville, Georgia in 1972.  Maxine returned to college to complete her education degree at Brenau University at the same time her two eldest daughters were also in college.  They even took chemistry classes together.  Upon graduation, Maxine found employment with Riverbend Elementary School initially as a first then third grade teacher.  She taught at Riverbend until her retirement in 1992.  Maxine and her husband were active members of First Baptist Church enjoying the wonderful fellowship and services of their church home.

Maxine was a talented artist equally adept at drawing or painting in oils.   She loved blue skies, black-eyed Susan daisies and walking barefoot in the woods.   She loved cinnamon raisin toast, fresh tomatoes, cooking for her family (you really can’t cook for less than twenty!), She believed in Maxwell House coffee and the cans were the perfect storage vessel for all things. She could look at any fashion picture and sew it .With three daughters this talent came in especially handy during prom season.  Maxine loved reading spy novels and murder mysteries, cheating at card games and dancing the jitterbug.  She enjoyed writing sweet letters to her children and sending emergency boxes of Tollhouse cookies to make things better at college.  She loved to travel IF it involved visiting family.  She was adventurous.  She was up for camping in the woods to sailing (despite severe motion sickness) to cooking breakfast on the beach.  She felt her happiest times were always the times spent with her husband, Bill and her family.  Maxine will be remembered for her gentle, caring nature, razor wit and beautiful smile. 

Bettie Maxine O’Quinn Partin is survived by her children, Dr. Julia Lee Partin and dear family friend and adopted daughter Alice Duncan of Alpharetta, Georgia; Vivian and John Elmore and daughter Mallory Anne of Dallas, Texas; Christa Anne Partin of Atlanta, Georgia; William D. Partin Jr. and wife, Ellen and children, Trent and Alex Partin of Gainesville, Georgia; sister Judy O’Quinn Burk and husband Jack of Fernandina Beach, Florida, and numerous loving friends, nieces, nephews and cousins.

She is predeceased by her husband, William D. Partin Sr., parents Verdie and George D. O’Quinn, sister Glenna O’Quinn Hirvela and brother, Lonnie Parnell O’Quinn.

A celebration of her life will be held at First Baptist Church Chapel  on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at 11:00 am with visitation in the Parlor following.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church Ministry of Caring Fund, Food Bank of North Georgia, and Alzheimer’s Association.

The world is a better place because she lived.

Those wishing to send online condolences to the family may do so at littledavenport.com

Little & Davenport Funeral Home and Crematory, 355 Dawsonville Highway, SW, Gainesville, Ga. 30501 is in charge of arrangements.