Maxine Forrest was born to Louis E. and Ruby M. Lawler on July 9, 1929 at Sutherland, Nebraska. The family lived in Paxton, NE and Akron, CO before moving to Scottsbluff, NE in 1937. Maxine graduated from Scottsbluff High School in 1947. She attended Stephens College in Columbia, MO and graduated with an associate's degree in 1949.

Maxine married Joseph Forrest in Minneapolis, MN on July 28, 1951. The couple had seven children. The family moved to Greeley, CO in 1959, then to Grand Junction, CO in 1976. Maxine became a realtor in 1978 and retired from Cole & Co Realtors in December of 1998. Maxine moved to Texas in 2009.

Maxine is survived by her sons Anthony of Telluride, CO; Patrick (wife, Linda) of Surprise, AZ; John of Ridgway, CO; Michael (wife, Margaret) of San Antonio, TX; Stephen of Ft. Collins, CO; and Terry of Loma, CO. Maxine's grandchildren are JC Forrest (wife, Catriona) and Caitlin Forrest of Surprise, AZ, and Nathan Engel and Leigha Forrest of San Antonio, TX. Maxine is survived by one great-grandson, Angus Forrest of Surprise, AZ.