Meet Tim and Maxine – Residents of Amaroo

At Amaroo, we are fortunate to have over 450 residents living in our Villages.

Every single resident who enters our Village comes with a unique story, and in our blog series Residents of Amaroo we will introduce you to the inspiring people who make Amaroo their home.

In this blog post, we introduce you to two of our Gosnells Village Residents and Amaroo@Home clients, Tim and Maxine.

 

Meet Tim and Maxine

Tim and Maxine have been married for 60 years and have three children, six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren

They met living in the same street in North Fremantle.

“She was the girl over the road, love at first sight!”

The couple were going out for five years before they got engaged and then married a year later.

Tim worked as an electrician and the couple moved to Albany for him to complete his apprenticeship.

Whilst here he also tried working for the whale chasers, where he was up at two in the morning to start work.

Tim recalls, “They sent me up the crow’s nest to go up and look for whales. If you see one point and yell out to us. Course they’ve got spotter planes which never occurred to me, but I’ve never been seasick since!”

 

Work, life, and growing together

The couple welcomed their first son in Albany, their second son in Dampier, and their daughter in Perth at King Edward Hospital.

Living back in Perth, Tim established a successful business focused on larger commercial kitchens for clients like McDonald’s, fish and chip shops, and hotels, while Maxine managed the books and chased up payments.

Tim passed down his trade to his oldest son, who is now training his own son as an apprentice. “I remember one job where the client was surprised to see us all. I said, ‘I’m the father, this is my son, and that’s my grandson.’ He realised he had three generations working under his roof.”

 

A heartfelt search

Although extremely happy in her life and with her family, Maxine always had a feeling that something was missing.

“I always felt there was something different. I didn’t feel right in a lot of ways.”

It was at 42 that Maxine discovered she had been adopted at only three weeks old.

“At the time unmarried mothers weren’t allowed to keep their babies,” Tim explains.

“Don’t get me wrong her parents were marvelous.”

Maxine recalls that when living in Albany unbeknownst to her, her birth mother was living close by.

“If we had thrown a stone, it would’ve hit my mother’s roof.”

When she learned of her adoption, Maxine tracked down her mother and stepdad who accepted her with open arms. She also discovered she had a half-brother and a half-sister who she was very much alike.

“We don’t talk as much now, but we used to talk nearly every day of the week.”

 

Embracing new experiences

After retiring, Tim and Maxine sold their house and moved to Amaroo Village, where they’ve happily lived for the past 20 years.

During this time, they’ve embarked on numerous adventures, including several cruises around the world. They even took a tourist bus through Europe, visiting six countries in just six days.

In addition to their international travels, they’ve explored their own backyard, camping around Australia.

“We rarely stayed in caravan parks; we loved camping in the bush. It was fantastic!” they shared.

Tim also backpacked solo through Vietnam for six weeks, immersing himself in local culture.

“I didn’t eat at restaurants or stay in hotels; I stayed with the locals and enjoyed street food.”

When back at home, the couple have loved being a part of Village life.

“This is the longest we’ve ever stayed in one place, and we love it here in Amaroo. It’s like living in a holiday resort with wonderful staff looking after our every need.”

 

Accessing home care

Maxine has been a valued client of Amaroo@Home for some time, and Tim will be accessing his own Home Care Package soon.

Before moving into Amaroo, Maxine was involved in a motorbike accident which left her with significant injuries. She was prescribed a substantial amount of medication in the years that followed to manage her arthritis which exacerbated her pain.

However, about a year ago, she decided that she was tired of the effect they were having on her and stopped taking most of her prescriptions, a testament to her resilience.

“She went off cold turkey that’s how strong this woman is. She went through a rough few months but she’s very strong. I’m incredibly proud of her,” Tim shares.

Thanks to the support from Amaroo@Home, Maxine has accessed specialised equipment, including a gopher and a bed that tilts to enhance her comfort. The couple also have their home cleaned through Maxine’s package.

 

Their words of advice

Tim and Maxine celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last year.

Their eldest son now runs his own electrician business, their second son is a cabinet maker who repairs caravans, and their daughter is a qualified psychologist who now lives in Queensland where she provides equine therapy.

Tim’s love for motorbikes has continued throughout his life. He sold his last motorbike two years ago to repair and sell a truck.

“Currently, I’ve got a little 30-year-old sports car that I’ve managed to get running,” Tim shares.

Maxine is a part of several different social groups within the Village which keep her busy, including painting, ceramics, and playing cards with friends.

When asked if they could share some advice with us after reflecting on their life, Tim and Maxine offered this message.

“Try to find someone who matches your level of intelligence, not necessarily through formal education, as you can have a diploma and still be a fool. It’s important to share a similar background and values.

You need to be willing to give and take and enjoy each other’s interests. That balance is key to a happy relationship.”