Joan Elizabeth Maxfield

JOAN’S LIFE AND LEGACY Joan Elizabeth [Truitt] Maxfield, at the age of 81, entered the gates of Heaven to be with the Lord on February 2nd, 2025, at Tidal Health Regional Medical Center. Joan was born on June 4th, 1943, in Laurel, Delaware to the late Leon “Bill” Truitt and Clarita [Roberts] Truitt. Joan was known as being the mischievous one among her brothers and sisters, often setting them up to get into all kinds of trouble. Our family loved to sit around reminiscing of all the things Joan used to do or make them do. Days like Saturdays used to be reserved for her grandkids to get together and play while Sundays were times to reminisce about the good times, laughter and the stories of their youth. Joan grew up on Wrights Farm in Delmar, Delaware and received her formal education from William C. Jason School in Georgetown, Delaware. During this time, she met one of her closest friends, Mrs. Penny Duncan. Penny and her husband Maurice visited with Joan several times throughout the week. Joan and Penny remained close friends right up until her passing. As a young adult, Joan enjoyed doing hair, dressing in stylish clothes, and collecting many pairs of beautiful shoes. She also had a love for dancing and her family loved to brag about it. Many would brag about how good she was at doing a dance they called “the chicken back.” Joan, her siblings, and cousins enjoyed their weekends hanging out at the night club called “The Blue Tangle.” It was at the Blue Tangle that she met her husband, Jerome “Joe Black” Maxfield. Joan and Joe married soon after and went on to have six children. They were wed over 50 years until Jerome’s passing in 2023. Early on, Joan was employed by the Swift Poultry plant where she worked for a short time. Afterwards, she went on to Perdue Farms where she worked for many years before leaving to care for her health and family. Eventually, Joan returned to employment with the Long-Life Treated Wood Company, where she worked until her family relocated to Salisbury, Maryland. After relocating, Joan became a homemaker while her husband Joe continued to work for Campbell Soup until his retirement after 35 years. Not long after moving to Salisbury, Joan received a knock on the door from a neighbor who was looking for help. The woman needed help with her child so that she would not lose her job. Without knowing who the lady was or even knowing her child, Joan openly agreed to help. Unbeknownst to Joan, this would be the beginning of her helping over 50 single women/families in her neighborhood with childcare so that they could maintain their employment. What a blessing Joan was to those women, children, and their families. There are so many things that come to mind when thinking about Joan. Most of us that really knew her would agree that she was a comedic genius. She could make you laugh without even trying and without even cracking a smile. She could imitate people; her imitations being spot on, especially when she would imitate her husband Jerome. He couldn’t help but laugh sometimes when he heard her. Joan had a nickname for almost everybody: “Skibby Head, Breadbox, Ole Grandma, Amen, Big Caddy and old Beula, Nubie Skubie, Fluff Taters, Bud Light, Skeedgey Heads”, but one saying she uttered the most, that would receive the most belly wrenching laughs would be her famous, “rusty neck fools” [primarily aimed at her kids]. Her children thought this was hilarious, which got them into more trouble with Joan when they were younger. Joan was also known for her cooking skills, especially her Chicken and Dumplings. On any given Sundays, her yard would be full of cars where her family and friends would show up hoping that her dumplings were ready. Everyone was welcome to eat at Joan’s, everyone. There was always enough to share and that is how she raised her children. In her later years, Joan enjoyed being a member of her sister [Leola] and brother-in-law’s [Leroy] church at Fellowship Tabernacle United Holiness Church in Delmar, where she could often be found shaking her tambourine and doing the two-step in the aisles. As Joan’s state of health began to decrease, she rarely left her home; however, her belief in the Lord remained. Joan found additional inspiration from Ms. Marsha Beckett who was a confidante and friend to Joan until the very end. Joan leaves behind to cherish her memory: five children, Nadine Maddox, Eron Truitt, Jerrona [Carlos] Smith, Sherita Truitt and Thashanna [Taron] McKinney; grandchildren, Warren Maddox, Dr. Morgan Clark, Des’Erae Price, Destiny Price, Jessika Smith, Ehrin Anderson, Ian Anderson, Jamia Smith, Will Beauchamp (honorary), Layla McKinney, Vernon Kenney, Jr. [BJ] and Tanisha Morris; a very special grandson and granddaughter-in-law, Kevin and Jennifer [Jen] Anderson; great grandsons, Taven Vickers Smith and Elijah Marcin; sisters, Leola and Pastor Leroy Ballard, Eleanor Truitt, Sylvia Truitt, Virginia and Pastor Theobald Jackson and Pearlene Morris; brothers, Pastor Errond and Martha Truitt and Clifton and Debbie Truitt; honorary children, Lucain Truitt, Lucille [Truitt] Savage, Raveen [Truitt] Moore, Savannah Morris, Vernon Truitt, Velma [Truitt]Gibbs, Kimberly Jones-Waples and Darrell Jones; a host of nieces and nephews and her grand pups, Baby Boy Price and Beverly Cutie Smith. Joan was preceded in death by: her husband, Jerome Maxfield; daughter, Shannel Maxfield; stepson, Tyrone Maxfield; sister, Lucy Matthews, and grandpups, Kizzie Smith, Coco Maddox, Cinnamon Truitt, and Sprinkles Brooks Smith. SORROWFULLY SUBMIITED ~ THE FAMILY

Joan Elizabeth Maxfield

June 4, 1943 - February 2, 2025