Ruth Maxine Cooper Haws (97) passed away in Mesa, Arizona on September 29, 2019. She was born in the rural area between Gilbert and Mesa, Arizona on December 19, 1921, the daughter of John Henry and Gertrude Clevenger Cooper. She was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was devoted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. She served in many callings in the Church. She spent most of her life in the Gilbert/Mesa, Arizona area and graduated from Gilbert High School. Subsequently, all her children also graduated from Gilbert High. Maxine (the name she went by) married Kato Devar Haws in 1942 shortly before he entered the Army Air Force. Kato served during World War II in Australia and various stateside bases. Maxine’s career was raising her 10 children and being involved in the lives of her large posterity. She grew up during the Great Depression, and then she and her husband raised a large family of 10 children. Being frugal and “making do” came naturally to her. She used her skills to make bread, cook pinto beans, make quilts, sew clothes, can food, etc. Creating oil paintings and crocheting were some of her hobbies. She was of a quiet, diligent temperament and was of service and an example to many.
After her husband retired, she and Kato served several missions for their church. They served for two years in the Dallas, Texas temple. While living at home, they served 5 years in the name extraction program, then at Deseret Industries as Rehabilitation Service Missionaries. They served at the Mesa Regional Family History center and in the youth center of the Arizona Temple. They helped to make and bind tied quilts and other sewn items for the Church’s Humanitarian/Homecraft Program. She was an indexer for the FamilySearch website for many years. On the day she went to the hospital, she was indexing and had 5 indexing batches reserved. Altogether, she did 116,129 names in the indexing program.
She was preceded in death by her eternal companion Kato Devar Haws Sr in 2011 (married 68 years), her parents and 3 brothers (Alton, Elmer, and Howard Cooper) and one sister (Luveda Cooper Fincher), son-in-law Dave Caldwell, three grandchildren, and two stillborn great-grandchildren. She is survived by one sister Lois Allen. She is also survived by her 10 children: Kato Haws (Jenny), Brenda Hertzberg (Ray), Wallace Haws (Edith), Milton Haws (Sherri), Martha Caldwell (Dave), George Haws, Edwin Haws (Dana), Donna Dillon, Gordon Haws (Lyla) and Katherine Garrard. She loved her vast posterity of 10 children, 53 grandchildren, 125 great-grandchildren, and 11 great-great grandchildren (199 total). She will be missed by many.
It was a pleasure to have known Maxine. She was a sweet loving person and I admired her so very much. She touched my life by her kind selfless example.
I always enjoyed Maxine’s comments in Sunday School. What a beautiful tribute. I wish I had known her better!
Grandma was an amazing person and example. She had so many talents and she taught me many great things! She has left a wonderful legacy!
I have so much love for this diminutive powerhouse called Maxine Haws. Her sharp mind, her testimony, her love of service, and so much drive to be busy each day sets an example that few of us can match at half her age. At 97, Maxine requested that I give her art lessons! I was excited with the challenge, knowing her determination could easily make up for her loss of one eye and shaky hands. Unfortunately for me Maxine was transferred to the Spirit World just four days before our classes were to begin. Now she can have art classes with Renoir or perhaps Michelangelo!
Grandma was such a great example to me. I will never forget the time we went to visit her when she had just suffered a fall previously and had a bad black eye. She has so many grandchildren and great grandchildren, and even though we only got to see her every few years, still when I went to talk to her, there she sat all banged up but obviously not thinking for a moment about herself. She remembered the names of each of our kids and asked about them with genuine love. She is a giant of a woman to me.
I will miss Grandma, but I am so happy that I knew her and will see her and Grandpa again someday. Grandma seemed to always know what I was up and always gave warm encouragement to do what was right. She was and is a kind soul. She was kind even when she keeping Grandpa in line. She leaves a great legacy. I am glad that part of my make up is from Ruth Maxine Haws.
Thanks so much for posting this. We appreciate it very much. (her daughter)
Heaven is rejoicing to have Maxine Haws back home! She brings a smile to my heart and a spring to my step. She always wanted her service to mean something and it did to me. I’m glad to have known her.
Even at 97 she still had ideas for paintings going through her mind
She was a quiet dynamo, devoted to her church callings and her family. Always busy but never missed an opportunity to give me a smile and a kind word. She and my mother were alike in many ways and my mother truly enjoyed Maxine’s friendship. My parents served a mission to the Dallas Temple the same time Maxine and Kato did. Having moved out of state and not seeing them for several years, my parents were thrilled to work with them in temple service again.
The thing I appreciate and love Maxine for most, though, is raising Martha, my best friend for life. I can never thank her enough for that!
Our thoughts are with you, Martha.