Meet Maxine Trapnell! She is both dedicated to her family and to her community. Maxine is married to Dudley. They have been married 48 years and she is 80 years young!
“Dudley still works full time because I am a material girl!” she said.
She has two daughters, Kelly Barrett and Jennifer T. Lazenby, and Shane Lazenby is her son-in-law. She is the grandmother to Will Barrett and to Jackson, Allie, Sawyer, and Lillianna Lazenby. Maxine is still very involved with her community with organizations like Junior Achievement, Randy and Friends, SISU, and Lakewood Church.
“In the 1950s we would come to Gainesville almost every other weekend. We thought Gainesville was like heaven compared to where we lived in Homer. My daddy had one of the only cars in Homer. Everyone made sure his car was running well because when someone needed to go to the hospital daddy would drive them.”
“Growing up I had no money. My best friend got a job at Gainesville National Bank. I thought I should do that, too. I went to Gainesville National to apply and since we had no telephone back then I had to leave them the phone number for my daddy’s boss in Homer. Well, daddy’s boss got a call and I was told the bank wanted me to come back in. I was told by the lady at the bank that they did not need anyone right now but she liked the way I walked. She said I walk like I mean business. She also said I won’t hire you right now but I will put you on two weeks trial to see how you do. I never left for 43 years. Gainesville National became First Atlanta and then Wachovia. Once I retired, Bob Oliver called and I went back to banking until this past October. I worked a total of 60 years in banking. I tell people I was born in the vault.”
“I loved everything about the bank! And everything about Gainesville! When I was on vacation, I could not wait to get back home and to the bank. I was head bookkeeper at the bank by the age of 20.”
I want to thank Shane Lazenby for nominating his mother-in-law for the Faces of Hall County. He did this for Mother’s Day. I also want to thank Maxine for meeting me on the Gainesville Square for our visit and this wonderful interview. Happy Belated Mother’s Day! ~ Brad Abernathy
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Hall County?
A: “Luna’s. I like everything on their menu.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: “I have been everywhere in the world. If I could go back anywhere I would want to go back to Africa. For 13 years we took senior citizens all over the world through a marketing program with the bank.”
Q: What is your favorite movie?
A: “’Gone With the Wind’ is my favorite. ‘Ben Hur’ was the first movie I saw at the Fox Theater.”
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: “So many young people came to work at the bank. I have given lots of advice. I would tell hem to stay in church. I kept my kids in church and it paid off in dividends. I always knew where they were and who they were with.
“One piece of advice I once gave to another member of Gainesville was when I met Neal Booth. On his second day of work at the bank I told him, ‘I have about 30 girls working for me in operations — I know you are smart and you know you are good looking — If you bother any girl out there, I will fire you.’ We have laughed a lot about that advice through the years.”
Q: What is your favorite music/ 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
A: “Elvis.”
Q: Who is someone interesting that you have met here in Hall County?
A: “Abit Massey would be one. There are so many giving people in this town like your dad, Bradley Abernathy, Tom Paris, and Big Jim Walters.”
Q: Choosing anyone: with whom would you love to have lunch?
A: “John Wayne. Now, I could not take John Wayne to Luna’s. I don’t think he would like it as much as he would like for me to take him to Longstreet Cafe. He would need a meat and three.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “I want to hang glide.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about Hall County?
A: “The people of this community are my favorite thing. When my first husband, Mack Stephens died I felt like Jackie Kennedy. No one in town let me pay for anything. Everyone brought presents for Kelly that first Christmas. People care for one another here and I love it.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
A: “My new side business is Lanier Estate Sales. My partner is Jean Brannon. I will be working estate sales.”
Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: “I carry. Watch out.”
Q: What three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: “Happiness. Comfort. Blessings. Family.”
Q: Who would you like to see nominated for this project, The Faces of Hall County?
A: “My son-in-law, Shane Lazenby. And my grandson Will Barrett, who started Ausometistic to spread awareness for autism.”
Q: If you were cast into a major motion picture and had your choice of anyone to be your co-star, who would you choose?
A: “Tyler Perry.”
Q: If you had a full time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose? A Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer, or Nanny?
A: “I would want a yardman.”
The Faces of Hall County is a community story.  Community is about people and this is the story of our community one face at a time.  We would love to have your nominations for positive members of our great home!  Please email them to rbradabernathy@gmail.com.  Thank you very much.