Elizabeth Maxon

Betsy Maxon, born Elizabeth Bachmann

July 4, 1928 - March 19, 2024

Betsy Maxon passed away peacefully on March 19, 2024, in Santa Fe, NM. Born to Elizabeth ‘Libby’ C. Bachmann and Richard W. Bachmann, she grew up in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.

She graduated from Vassar College, her mother’s alma mater. While at Vassar, she met William ‘Bill’ Maxon, a Yale student. They married in 1950, settling first in Madison, Wisconsin. While Bill finished his graduate studies, Betsy worked for the University, contributing to a groundbreaking study on unwed mothers. Betsy and Bill then moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where they raised their four children.

After Bill’s retirement, they moved to Santa Fe, creating a new life filled with art, books, culture, and travel. Education and books were hugely important to Betsy, a passion she passed on to her grandchildren through tall stacks of carefully selected books given every Christmas. She had an incredible knack for choosing well written books.

Her interest in genealogy led to thorough documentation of the Crosby, Bachmann, Williams, and Maxon family histories, illustrated with treasured family photos. Always keen to understand people and their motivations, her own twin sons led to her co-authoring a paper on personality differences in identical twins raised together. She was very involved with the Enneagram community, actively sharing its principles and teaching.

Throughout her life, Betsy was a progressive thinker, striving to make positive contributions to her community, from piloting a non-traditional student program at Kalamazoo College, to volunteering with Family and Children Services, and numerous other concerns.

Happily married for 72 years, Betsy and Bill spent every summer in Canada at the family cottages in Georgian Bay and Manitoulin Island where family and friends gathered to sail and canoe, share favorite books and create art.

After Bill’s passing 14 months ago, Betsy remained active with her book club and mahjong group, and regular visits with friends and family.

Betsy will be remembered for her warmth and generosity, her attention to each person in her orbit, her pragmatism, decisiveness, and wonderful sense of humor.

Betsy is survived by: Jennifer Maxon (Gary Shepherd) and her children Liane (Alden Markby) and Matthew McMillian (Tori Kirby); twins Rick Maxon (Sue Harlan Maxon), and their children Danielle Maxonight (Hailey Maxonight) and Kevin Maxon (Zoe Vartanian); and Paul Maxon (Sylvia Wallis) and their daughter, Minjiao; Mary Maxon (Tom Hancock) and their daughter, Reva. 

No formal services are planned.