Mrs. Emma Maxine Hogan Elder 87, of Charlotte, NC passed away Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at Atrium Health Mercy. Emma Maxine Hogan Elder was born on August 14, 1933, in the Paw Creek Community, and received her early Christian education at Woodland Presbyterian Church and St. John’s Chapel Primitive Baptist Church. She attended the old Woodland Elementary School and Plato Price High School, where she was a member of the Plato Price Golden Bulls Marching Band. Her graduation was from Teamer High School, due to attendance restrictions on married students at Plato Price.
Maxine was quite athletic and enjoyed skating, bicycling, basketball, lady’s softball and baseball. She was the best skater (male or female) at the time, in Paw Creek. She skated so often that her skate key was a part of daily attire. She regularly rode her bicycle with her father to and from John’s Chapel Primitive Baptist Church. Her talent was not limited to sports, as she also had the skill of playing piano “by ear.”
Maxine’s enduring love was for baseball, which was sparked by her substitute duties as scorekeeper for the former Thrift Tigers. Her early favorite team was the former Washington Senators (now, the Washington Nationals). Later in life, her allegiance was pledged to the New York Mets, who she faithfully cheered, and enjoyed games at Shea Stadium with Greg, her “Birthday Twin” and special friend. She especially delighted in watching games between the Mets and their rivals, the NY Yankees and the Atlanta Braves. She also appreciated regular spirited baseball debates with her grandson Nathan, and his dad, Sulayman Solomon, avid Yankee fans. Maxine had a surprising sense of humor and welcomed a good laugh!
Following others in the Black Migration north for better opportunities, Maxine and her then husband Curtis and their family left Charlotte for New York in 1956. Although she remained there for 52 years, summers and special occasions would find Maxine and her children (and sometimes grandchildren) in her beloved Paw Creek, helping to care for her aging parents and celebrating special family events. A year after her retirement from the New York Hospital system she returned to her beloved community in 2006. She rejoined Woodland Presbyterian Church, where she remained a faithful and dedicated member, until failing health prevented her from attending, but not from continuing her financial support of the church’s mission.
Maxine was pre-deceased by her former spouse, R. Curtis Elder, their two sons, “Baby-Boy” Elder, and Nathan Sadler Elder; grandson Kain Elder; parents Margaret and Pete Hogan, and her special friend Greg Hartman.
Left to cherish her memories are sons: C. Malcolm Elder (Karen); Lomax Elder and daughter, Rochelle M. Elder; six grandchildren – Raheem Edwards, Matthew Elder (Shannon), Ajsha Elder, Justin Elder, Nathan Elder-Solomon (Morgan Davis-Thorne) and Jumaris Elder; eight great-grandchildren – Blake Elder, Ashton Kiser, Urel Elder, Dilithea Elder, Eden Elder, Malcom Elder, Atlas Elder-Solomon and Naomi (Lulu) Elder-Solomon; one beloved sister Terry Hogan Tiamd (Ron Ross); special cousin Freddie Sadler Hayes; faithful friends, Carrie Grier and Nellie Ashford; extraordinary neighbors, Ricky & Myrtle Morrison, Henderson & Doris Reid; Daphne Blackmon; Margaret and Terry Rankin, and a host of other relatives and friends.
