"To know her is to love her," is a quote from Laura Honey used often to introduce and describe her longtime friend Maxine Tourtillotte.

And love was all around Maxine Edith Carleton Tourtillotte Thursday night, April 21 as the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club presented her with its 2016 Lifetime Service Award. Close to 70 family members, friends and Rotarians turned out to celebrate the 93-year-old Boothbay Harbor native, who was genuinely surprised — and she admitted later that she almost had a heart attack — when she walked in the door of the clubhouse to rousing applause and cheers.

"I truly thought that I was going to be the first recipient of this award to have a heart attack," said Maxine during her acceptance speech.

As usual, the recipient is left in the dark about the award until he or she arrives at the meeting. Honey, the 2010 recipient of the LSA and a member of Rotary's LSA selection committee, had invited Maxine to the meeting earlier this month, telling her there was going to be an awards ceremony on the 21st and that she could invite three or four friends to attend. On Monday, Maxine told Laura she wasn't feeling well and that she might not be able to go. And she told Laura, "Why the h... do I want to see you get another award?" Honey, recipient of many hospitality awards during her 50 years working at Fisherman's Wharf, told Maxine that she understood, but that she would be disappointed if she couldn't attend.

"She's (Laura) going to get paid back for this," said a semi-serious Maxine before the presentation was made.

LSA Committee Chairman Bruce Tindal did his best to read highlights of Maxine's eight decades of service from the 21-page, 6,800-word tribute written by fellow Rotarian and committee member Chip Griffin. During Tindal's 30-minute reading, Maxine asked him to skip some parts because "they (the audience) doesn't need to hear all of that." She did let Bruce talk about the family parts. "My family is very important," said Maxine.

Along with the tribute, a brief listing of the LSA's achievements is framed and here are the highlights of Maxine's career:

• Sample's Shipyard office manager for four decades
• War bride and wartime leader
• St. Andrews Hospital Auxiliary: 574 hours of volunteering
• YMCA's longest member ever (60-plus years) and recent fundraising chair
• Methodist Church stalwart/volunteer
• Family focus
• Fellow traveler with many
• Straight shooter with all, and all behind the scenes and without fanfare

"She says what she thinks and you just have to love her for that," said Honey near the end of the presentation.

2013 LSA recipient George McEvoy told a story of how Maxine stepped in and helped run the Boothbay Railway Village office for two years after she had retired.

Rotarian Bill Dodge spoke of her church work and said "I love you, Maxine," and Maxine said, "I love you too, Bill."

Maxine's son, Earl, spoke of his mother's 93 years of "living life to the fullest, helping many people," and she had to be "the most social person I know. She has had so many social engagements over the years," and that it is a testament of her longstanding friendships with many people and groups.

Maxine, after Tindal's tribute, said "I want to thank the awards committee ... I also want to thank the many friends and family who came from Brunswick, Wiscasset and Topsham and (son) Jack and (daughter-in-law) Susan coming down from Rangeley today.

"I especially want to thank Maggie (daughter-in-law) and Earl. I would not be able to stay in my home without them. Maggie is the daughter I never had.

"I really don't know why I am receiving this award. I really haven't done anything."

Club President Ham Meserve and Tindal presented her with the plaque to conclude the meeting, after which a dozen or more attendees came to the head table to congratulate and show their love to Maxine.

Besides Honey and McEvoy, other former LSA recipients in attandance were Estelle Appel (2009), Alfred Roberts (2011) and Harry Pinkham (2014); Joan Rittall also attended, representing her husband, Chet, who was presented with the award in 2005.

Lifetime Service Award Recipients

In March of 1958, a Boothbay Harbor Rotarian proposed that we honor a senior citizen in connection with Patriot’s Day each year. This became known as the Lifetime Service Award, given almost every year since April 14, 1960, when Judge John W. Brackett became the first recipient.

Rotary’s Lifetime Service Award recipients:

John W. Brackett

Charles E. Pinkham

Everett N. Vannah

Grace T. Carlisle

Walter E. Farmer

William A. MacCormick

Percy W. Coombs

Ralph B. Boyd

Violet E. Smith

Harold A. Dodge

Dorothy W. Abbott

Marjorie McGlauflin

Ruth Jacobs Dodge

Philip O. Gregory

Cecil E. Pierce

Chester A. Swett

Edith Dodge

Mabel B. Brackett

Harold B. Clifford

Ethelyn Pinkham Giles

Elmer E. Newbert “King Brud” Pierce

James P. Stevens

Harold G. “Sonny” Simmons

Walter H. Eastwood

Alfred B. Sherman

John F. Andrews

Katherine B. Cook

Florence Harrold

Donald R. Wotton

Stanley R. Tupper

Chetley A. Rittall

Stanley W. “Swing” Lewis

Loraine W. Nickerson

Edward B. Harding

Estelle T. Appel

Laura S. Honey

Alfred G. Roberts, Jr.

Curtis W. West

George McEvoy

Harry Pinkham

Mary Dodge Brewer

Maxine Tourtillotte