Military officer, businessman.
Born at Winnipeg on 5 June 1908, son of Alexander “Alex” Maxwell (1864-1945) and Edith Cater (1872-1952), he attended Daniel McIntyre Collegiate. After graduation, he worked for Canadian National Rilway and the Chicago North Western Railway. His military service consisted of five years during the Second World War and 18 years in the militia. After the war, he commanded the Second Armoured Car Regiment and Winnipeg Grenadiers. In 1958, he was appointed Commander of the 19 Militia Group retiring in 1962 with the rank of Brigadier General. He served as President of the Royal Military Institute, a member of the Fort Garry Horse Regimental Senate, and Honorary Life Governor of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires.
In December 1934, he began working for Canadian Fruit Distributors, becoming manager in 1954. He left in September 1956 to become manager of Apex Purchasing Service, a division of Westfair Foods Limited, holding the position until retirement in 1973. He was associated for many years with the Canadian Fruit Wholesalers Association (national director for 16 years) and was President of the Manitoba Fruit and Vegetable Wholesalers' Association. He served as Director and Vice-Chairman of the Manitoba Vegetable Marketing Commission. He was made an honorary life member of the Vegetable Growers’ Association of Manitoba (1968).
On 12 October 1935, he married Winona Mary “Nona” Innes (1904-2007) at Winnipeg. They had no children. He was a President of the Winnipeg Rotary Club, Chairman of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Life Board Member of the Manitoba Lung Association, and a member of the Masons, Khartum Shriners, Senior Bureau, Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, and Niakwa Country Club.
He died in British Columbia on 28 May 2003.
Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.
Obituary [Edith Maxwell], Winnipeg Free Press, 19 August 1952, page 17.
A History of Horticulture in Manitoba: 1880-1980 by Peter J. Peters, 1988, pages 299-300.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 4 June 2003.
Obituary [Nona Maxwell], Winnipeg Free Press, 24 August 2007.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 18 September 2021
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