Maxine A. James

Maxine Anna Porreco James was born November 18th 1927 to Crystal Consuelo Sagel Porreco and Antonio Porreco. She passed on Saturday November 10th 2007, 1 week away from her 80th birthday. Maxine enjoyed a rich life during those years. She was a truly creative and spiritual individual. She was a musician, a traveler, a family historian, a patron of the arts, a linguist and a truly devoted daughter, wife, mother and grandmother.

Inspired to share and express her musical gifts in praise of her Catholic faith to which she was baptized as a teenager, Maxine quickly became not only a vocalist for Assumption church, but also the organist for fourteen years. She developed a love for opera as well, with a particular penchant for Puccini. She continued to sing in the choir at Christ the King church for another 10-15 years and she performed other traditional music with a traveling choir that performed around Denver.

Maxine also enjoyed the opportunity to travel and was fascinated with other cultures. She studied in Mexico with her daughter Carol in 1965. She and her husband took the family on many road trips around the United States throughout their years together. Some of her favorite trips were taken to visit her daughter Donna while she lived in Paris. From there she, her husband and family reconnected with their Italian roots.

Combining her skills as a writer with her passion for history Maxine created truly unique albums that tracked her German and Italian families from their countries of origin to their arrivals in the US and subsequent travels to Colorado. She was a proud Territorial Daughter of Colorado through her German ancestors who arrived in Colorado before it was declared a state in it's own right.

Also a patron of the arts spanning from visual art to performing arts, Maxine passionately decorated her home with European accents. She loved flamenco dance, theatre, music and fashion. She herself was considered quite a vision in her day, and her inner beauty was expressed in whimsy and a sparkling flair.

Maxine always valued education and excelled as a Spanish linguist. She not only graduated the top of her class in high school, she graduated from college in three years magna cum laude as a Phi Beta Kappa scholar at the age of 35. She began to pursue her masters in Spanish, yet started teaching the language in Jefferson county public schools before she finished her degree. Although her teaching career was brief, she was always entranced with the Latin cultures.

Above all else, Maxine loved her family. Elder and young ones alike, Maxine was a nurturer of many, making extended family and friends feel welcome. She had always considered her mother to be her best friend and was an attentive daughter. She and her husband of 60 years Donald Peter James (Di Giacomo) had four dynamic children: Donna Susanne Romero (Joseph Daniel), Carol Ann De Frange, Donald Anthony James (Deborah Bell Thornburg) and Gina Crystal James. She was also delighted with three grandchildren: Lora Marie Huntley (Ralph Wales), Devon Ann James and Kelly Lynn Sutton (Neal Michael).

As she wrote in a letter to her granddaughter Lora, "I'm glad our kids are so successful! I was able to mother a pretty neat family. We've had a lot of great times over the years, haven't we?"

Visitation, Sunday, November 18, 2007 from 4:00P.M. until 7:00P.M., with the Rosary recited at 7:00P.M., both at the Newcomer Family Funeral Home - West Metro Chapel.

Mass of Christian Burial, Monday, November 19, 2007 at 10:00A.M. at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, 2361 East 78th Avenue, Welby, Colorado with the Rev. Gabriel Weber, O.S.M., Celebrant. Pallbearers will be Patrick Fagan, Donald A. James, Ralph Huntley, Channing Merrell, William Bistranin and Richard Maginn. Interment, Fort Logan National Cemetery, Staging Area / Shelter "B" at 12:30P.M.

Those who wish may make memorial gifts to the American Cancer Society, 2255 South Onieda Street, Denver, Colorado 80224, 303-758-2030.