THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605170218
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Close Up
SOURCE: Christine M. Points
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES who have ever fantasized about seeing their boss hauled off to jail, there's good news. Call Maxiene Wilson.
She isn't a police officer, but she is a recruiter with the Cardiac Arrest event for the American Heart Association being held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Portside.
Wilson, a top recruiter for the event since she began participating three years ago, enjoys doing just that.
``It's so much fun,'' she says. ``I have a penchant for coming up with ideas for why a person should be arrested.''
Like having Tony Earls, curator for the Children's Museum of Virginia, arrested for ``stealing children's hearts.'' Or Jack Vrhovac, with Churchland Crown and Bridge, charged with ``building a bridge to the heart.''
Her creativity extends beyond that, however. Wilson, who received a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from Old Dominion University in 1988, is also an artist.
A former secretary for the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth until she retired, Wilson began painting about 10 years ago.
``When I was in high school my teacher told me not to give up my art. But then I married a man who was an excellent artist, and I was kind of intimidated. I thought, I can't do that.''
But Wilson discovered she could and returned to painting. She has won several awards at various art shows throughout the area.
She has slowed down some, though, after being diagnosed with an arhythmia, a condition where her heart beats abnormally fast, five years ago.
``Participating in shows is kind of physical,'' Wilson says. However, she does maintain a ``permanent gallery'' in Dr. James Stewart's office, 4041 Taylor Road.
Name: Maxiene Baker Wilson
Nickname: Max
Neighborhood: Churchland
Number of years in Portsmouth: All my life except for the first two months.
Birthplace: Brookneal, Va.
Occupation: Artist
What job other than your own would you like? Conduct an orchestra.
Marital status: Widowed
Children/grandchildren: Randy Clarke, Gray Clarke and Timothy Clarke. Grandchildren are Billy Clarke, Pat Clarke, Quint Clarke, Ann O'Brien, Mandy Clarke, Alex Clarke and Dana Clarke. One great-grandchild, Thomas O'Brien.
Fondest childhood memory: Riding on the streetcar to Ocean View Amusement Park.
What song or book title best describes your life? ``The Way Things Ought To Be,'' by Rush Limbaugh
If you won the lottery, what's the very first thing you'd buy? I have never played the lottery and probably never will.
If you could trade places for just one day with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? Billy Graham - to know the joy of touching that many persons to make a positive change in their lives.
Biggest accomplishment: Raising my family and getting my degree after retirement.
Most embarrassing moment: Falling through a pier while walking with friends. My dress shrank to pocket-handkerchief size.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Better time management.
Perfect way to spend the day: Reading and drawing.
I can't resist: Daphne's potato salad
Favorite Portsmouth restaurant: Amory's
Biggest problem facing Portsmouth: Its bad reputation for crime.
If you had three wishes for Portsmouth, what would they be? Because of its central location, it would be an excellent location of the largest mall in the Hampton Roads area (possibly in Fairwood Homes). Replace homes in some areas for better tax base. Replace textbooks in public schools with those reflecting honesty, integrity, etc. as the good ones in the old McGuffey Readers. (Boy, that's some wish, isn't it?)
Other than its small-town atmosphere, what do you like about living in Portsmouth? My friends and family are close. I like its central location in the Hampton Roads area. I hope someday that we will be the City of Hampton Roads. MEMO: For information on the Cardiac Arrest, call the American Heart
Association at 671-8636.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by LAWRENCE JACKSON
by CNB