Chinook, Washington

Feb. 13, 1934 — March 11, 2023

Rodney Maxwell-Muir, proud Canadian, respected artist, brother, husband and father of two daughters, died peacefully, surrounded by love, on March 11 in Portland. He was 89.

Born on Feb. 13, 1934, in Vancouver, British Columbia, he would tell stories of a different time, when roaming independently under the age of 10 wouldn’t elicit a second glance. He grew up during the Great Depression, allegedly in 15 different houses, including a one-room cottage, a former chicken coop and a logging camp. He remembered most fondly a home just blocks from Kitsilano Pool in English Bay, where he loved to swim.

At the age of 11, he faked his age to get his first job as a delivery boy, handing over his earnings to his mother without ever looking inside. He worked as a gardener and painted interiors for his grandmother while attending Vancouver College, and later graduated from Burnaby South High School.

In 1952, he followed his brother, the late Peter Maxwell-Muir, to Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, where he ran track and field. His younger sister, Bonnie (Maxwell-Muir) Banks, joined him there.He made lifelong friends and met his wife of 64 years, C. Sue Hagerup. He spent most of his time in the art department, but managed to earn a teaching degree.

He taught high school classes for years and coached high school track and basketball. However, his art always came first and he became a respected potter. In 1966, he was among a select few invited to represent Canadian artists in celebration of the country’s 100th birthday at Expo 67 in Montreal. He would hand throw more than 500 decorative plates for the event. In 2021, his work was included in a Vancouver Art Gallery exhibit, Modern in the Making: Post-war Craft and Design in British Columbia.

After moving to Chinook, Washington, in 1978, he opened a pottery studio from his home, taught classes at Clatsop Community College in Astoria and joined local potters to fire in the anagama kiln of local artist Richard Rollin. Maxwell-Muir was respected for the quality of his stoneware, porcelain and glazes, firing everything from functional everyday dishes and bakeware, to decorative platters and lamp bases. He was also a talented painter and sculptor. He loved to draw. He made art into his 80s and, before his death, when asked if he remembered what it felt like to make a pot, replied: “of course.”

Well-mannered and a charmer until the end, he will be remembered by those who loved him for his witty sense of humor, gentle kindness, compassion and grace. He was a good listener, and was curious about other people and their histories. He loved nature, often nurturing a garden, grew up fishing and rarely lived without a cat or dog by his side. His cat, Jessica, often kept him company for hours during his last days.

He is survived by his wife, Sue; two daughters, Lisa (Maxwell-Muir) O’Toole and Jennifer Maxwell-Muir; sons-in-law, John O’Toole and John Hill; four grandchildren, Maxwell and Mairi O’Toole and Abby and Lewis Hill; and beloved nieces and nephews, and their children, both in Canada and the U.S.

A celebration of life will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. May 6 at the Historic Chinook School, 810 U.S. Highway 101 in Chinook.