About Maxine Hagen Renaker

Born 10 November 1913 in Williston, ND

In partnership with her husband John, Maxine co-founded the Hagen-Renaker Pottery in Monrovia California in 1945. In 1965 the company moved to 914 Cienega, San Dimas, California where it now operates.

In her book One Lucky Kid she described their beginnings: "Right after World War II, John and I decided that we would have a business of our own. John was pleased with some crude little figures I had made with some modeling clay, and he encouraged me to make models of little birds and animals. John built our first kiln, which we set up in our garage. This kiln was fired with gas brought to it from the kitchen by way of a garden hose."

With the creative work of other important designers, Helen Perrin Farnlund, Maureen Love Calvert and Nell Bortells, Hagen-Renaker still produces miniature animal figurines that are sought by collectors the world over. For the history of Hagen-Renaker, see Hagen-Renaker Through the Years and Hagen-Renaker Pottery: Horses and Other Figurines by Nancy Kelly and The Charlton Standard Catalogue of Hagen-Renaker by Gayle Roller.

After her children graduated from college, Maxine returned to college to complete her own education at Pasadena City College in 1961. Her teachers soon encouraged her to move on to the new State University campus in Los Angeles, where she graduated with a degree in English in 1965 and went on to teach literature at Bonita High School in La Verne.

Maxine loved animals and nature and donated to many wildlife and conservation organizations.

As an only child, she was an avid letter writer and corresponded with many childhood friends and school teachers. Her father said of her, "she never met a stranger." She was beloved by her family and is sorely missed by her family, friends, and the employees of Hagen-Renaker.

Never fully retiring from Hagen-Renaker, she always took an active interest in the factory, consulting with the designers about all new products.

Maxine Hagen Renaker passed away peacefully at her home in Encinitas on July 17, 2003 at the age of 89. Married for 67 years, she is survived by her husband John Renaker, sons Jim Renaker and David Renaker, daughters Susan Nikas and Mary Renaker, 6 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.