Maja Whittington, age 96, passed away peacefully due to age and complications related to dementia and heart disease on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. She was born in Germany and grew up studying music at the conservatory to be a classically trained pianist. During WWII her family saw Germany's destruction and its effects firsthand which altered her future. After the war Maja worked as a German-English interpreter for the US Government when she met her first husband.
During the 1950's, Maja worked as a Buyer for the Army/Air Force Exchange in Japan and Taiwan, raised her children, and loved life among the Japanese neighbors.
While in Taiwan, Maja met her second husband, their love for dancing and music drew them together. They moved to the United States, married, and continued raising a family.
As a military wife, Maja lived in many international countries and US states, all the while raising children and attending college. She earned a bachelor's in accounting, minoring in Languages, and earned a master's in accounting. In the 1970's, Maja became an accounting instructor, teaching for over 20 years. She also taught computer classes during a time when women did not work in the programming field.
Maja loved to travel with friends, family, and even on her own. She was always eager to see what the world had to offer. She's traversed through Europe, Asia, Russia, Central and South America and multiple US states. She's crossed an ocean aboard the Star Liner "Queen Elizabeth" and has enjoyed many other smaller cruise expeditions; It was hard to find places that she had not visited.
She enjoyed volunteering using her accounting background by helping senior citizens with their taxes, traveling to their homes through the AARP Tax Aid Program. She served on various boards including as President of the Albuquerque Association of Management Accountants, Treasurer of the Albuquerque Sister Cities Association, and Treasurer and Program Chair of the Albuquerque Retired Educators Association. She also enjoyed reading, needlework, gardening, music, and theater.
Maja is survived by siblings, Elizabeth and Horst; children, James, Roy, Irene, and Karin; stepchildren, Ronald and Ann, five grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her former husbands.
A visitation will be held Tuesday, January 30, 2024, beginning at 10:00 a.m., followed by a funeral service at 11:00 a.m., at FRENCH - Westside, with a graveside blessing following at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery, 924 Menaul Blvd, Albuquerque. Memorial donations may be made in her name to the Alzheimer's Association.
The family would like you to view the service which will be live streamed and available for viewing by clicking on the link below.
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
10:00 - 11:00 am (Mountain time)
Westside Chapel
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
11:00am - 12:00 pm (Mountain time)
Westside Chapel
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
12:15 - 1:15 pm (Mountain time)
Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery
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