Maida Page

Doreen Maida Blue Page, who went by Maida -- beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend -- passed away peacefully at her home in Walla Walla, Washington, on August 7, 2026. She was 88 years old.

A life-long native of Walla Walla, Maida was the youngest of three daughters born to Edwin Welton Blue, a U.S. Navy veteran, and Emma Evelyn Pritchard Blue, who worked at the local Birds Eye food-processing plant. After Edwin Blue passed away from tuberculosis when she was very young, Maida and her sisters continued to be raised under the loving care of their hard-working and devoted mother, Emma. Maida attended Paine Elementary School, Pioneer Middle School, and Walla Walla High School, graduating in 1956.

It was also in high school where Maida met her high-school sweetheart, Thomas Harlan Page, the youngest son of Orin Leland Page, Sr. and Hilma Hyacinth Page. They married in 1956 and shared over 70 years of a loving life together. They were blessed with four sons -- Tom, Jon, Robert, and Ben. Maida managed the family household and helped Thomas run the family farm. Maida was active in her sons' activities, school, extracurricular sports, music and more, and also served as a 4-H leader. Outside of the home, Maida worked at various jobs including the Bee Hive Store, bookkeeping during Sugar Beet harvest, at the Farm Labor Camp, and managed the Mark's Hallmark Store for several years at the Eastgate Shopping Center, serving customers and developing many friendships.

Maida was socially active and very involved in her community. After high school, she was a member of the Dolphinettes synchronized swimming group and Maida also became a certified scuba diver, diving with her son Tom and nephew Michael in the Puget Sound. Maida was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and sang in the choir, and led art design for the Valley Chapel Community's fair booth at the annual Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days as well as other art projects. With her and her team's artwork, design, craftsmanship and dedication to excellence, the Valley Chapel fair booth consistently won many top awards. She was very creative and accomplished and excelled at many forms of art including calligraphy, creative writing, wheat weaving, oil painting and more.

In the early 1990s, Maida retired from Mark's Hallmark after Thomas retired from Continental Can Co., and they continued to run the farm. Maida enjoyed gardening, flowers, family time at the farm, reading, jigsaw puzzles, nature, birds, animals (including her beloved kitty cats), walks, traveling— including adventures to Africa, cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska, numerous trips with her dear sisters and family trips across the country, Mariners spring training in Arizona, the Oregon coast, Baker City, Bend, Boise, Cleveland, Seattle, California and more.

Maida possessed a strong faith and a natural curiosity about the world and the people near to her, and radiated kindness, compassion, and optimism to all conversations. She loved and learned art, history, movies, concerts, shows, plays, dance and music performances -- with a great range in genres from Country Western, (partly influenced by her Tennessee relatives) to classical music. She passed along her love of animals, flowers, and gardening to her kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, friends and guests during their frequent visits to the farm. Maida had a beautiful smile and sense of humor and loved to laugh and always made everyone feel special, loved and included.

Maida lived like her vocation was to nurture life, watch it grow, and bask in whatever beauty was shown to her, without expectation or pretense. She left the world as peacefully as she made it around her. Maida was always a source of graceful strength and patient fortitude, a kind and gentle guiding light to all those around her, but especially to her family.

Maida was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Genevieve Velda (Charles) Blue Perry and Cora Nettie Blue Preston. She is survived by her husband, Thomas Harlan Page as well as her four children: Thomas Andrew Page, Jonathan (Susan Jeffries) Page, Robert Page, and Benjamin (Bryan Adamson) Page.

Additionally, Maida is survived by 6 grandchildren: Jeremiah Page, Kayla Page, Jordan (Emily) Page, Orin Page, Kassi Page, and Leland Page, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and their children and grandchildren.

Maida will be remembered in a private family service. A reception to follow the private family service on Monday, August 17, 2026, Noon to 1:30pm, at the Courtyard by Marriott, 550 West Rose St, Walla Walla, WA 99362.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Blue Mountain Action Council, Christian Aid Center, Walla Walla Public Library, YMCA of Walla Walla, or the YWCA of Walla Walla.