Maxine Chauncey Crandall, 96, of Santa Barbara, California passed away peacefully on February 1, 2023. Maxine was born on October 10, 1926, to Max and Ruth Chauncey in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The family moved to California and settled in Santa Barbara, where Maxine attended La Cumbre Junior High School and Santa Barbara High School. She graduated with the class of 1944 and remained active with the alumni association.
She attended the University of California Santa Barbara, Rivera Campus, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and earned her bachelor of arts degree in English. Thirty years later, she earned a teaching credential from UCSB.
In 1951, Maxine met Frank Crandall, who became a prominent local attorney, at the Santa Barbara Municipal Tennis Courts; they were married a short time later. After spending a year at Fort Benning in Georgia, they returned to Santa Barbara and began their life in Montecito. The entire family loved and appreciated the natural beauty of Montecito, especially Maxine’s rose garden, vegetable garden, and countless blooming potted flowers.
She was close with her neighbors, the neighborhood children, and many pets. She loved birthday parties and entertaining her friends in her inviting home and garden. There were happy daytime summer outings at Butterfly Beach in Montecito.
Maxine loved reading and writing and worked as a substitute teacher teaching English locally for many years. An active member of the First United Methodist Church in Santa Barbara since 1939, she commented often on how she loved the sanctuary, the choir and organ music. She helped form the Cynthia Ann Morrow Drop-In Center at the church, where local students could come for tutoring. Because she loved history and preserving the past for future generations, she documented much of the church’s history.
Maxine was a member of the Junior League of Santa Barbara since 1960. As chair of the Junior League History Committee for 25 years, she had a special passion for preserving the League’s history in scrapbooks that are works of art.
She loved the Santa Barbara County Courthouse and in 1974, was instrumental in founding the Courthouse Docent Council, which trains docents to lead tours about the history and architecture of the famous landmark for residents and visitors from around the world.
Maxine, who was also a member of the Little Town Club, enjoyed the arts including the Santa Barbara Symphony, theater and musicals at the Lobero Theater. She had a lifelong passion and talent for playing the piano.
Maxine appreciated her many friends and family in the Santa Ynez Valley, where she lived for 10 years before returning to her family home in Santa Barbara. Over the years, Maxine became a football fan, supporting and following her grandson’s high school and college teams. Her humor and commitment to family and friends spanned her lifetime. She will be remembered for her kindness, compassion, creativity and graciousness.
Maxine was preceded in death by her parents, Ruth and Max Chauncey; brother, Gordon Chauncey; and her husband, Frank Crandall. She is survived by her children; Jayne (Steve) Schiffer of Alamosa, Colorado, Ann (Gilbert) Griffin of Ventura, John (Charlotte) Crandall of New York, and Richard (Tonya) Crandall of Santa Ynez.
Other survivors are nieces; Paula Chauncey McLaughlin of Reno Nevada, Dina Chauncey Walls of Orangevale, California, and nephews; Bill Chauncey of San Francisco California, Danny Chauncey (Kelly) of Suwanee, Georgia, and numerous great- and great-great nieces and nephews.
She will be missed by grandsons; Billy (Lauren) Griffin, Jon (Jackie) Griffin, Joey Griffin, Kurt Schiffer, Tristan Crandall, Nathan Crandall, and Nicolas Crandall, and three great-grandchildren; Hudson Griffin, Kennedy Griffin and MollyRae Griffin.
The family would like to thank the entire staff at Alexander Gardens for their devoted and compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First United Methodist Church, Santa Barbara.
A memorial service will be held at the Santa Barbara Cemetery on April 8, 2023, at 1:00 p.m with a reception and celebration of Maxine’s life immediately following in Montecito.
