Murvan Morris “Scotty” Maxwell died January 30, 2002 at his daughter’s home in Metarie, Louisiana. He was 91. A lifelong resident of New Orleans, Scotty earned distinction both in his architectural profession and in a wide range of civic activities. In the latter category, he is best remembered by Maxwells as the founder, first President, and life Convener of the Clan Maxwell Society of the USA.
This sixth generation New Orleanian graduated from his
city’s Warren Easton High School in 1927 and earned a
Bachelor of Architecture degree from his city’s Tulane
University in 1931. He was Chief Architect for the National Youth
Administration in Louisiana from 1937 to 1941 and for Jackson
Barracks Military Reservation. During World War II, he did
research in structural timber for the Southern Pines Association
and was a research architect with Higgins Plastics Corporation.
After the war, he became a partner in the firm of Sporl &
Maxwell, which became Murvan M. Maxwell & Associates after
his partner’s death. Then from 1962 to 1988, he was a
partner in the firm of Maxwell & LeBreton.
Among Scotty’s major architectural projects were designs and
renovations for schools, college buildings, courthouses,
churches, fire stations, libraries, commercial and industrial
buildings, and residences. And he was regarded as one of the
nation’s leading experts on building codes and fire safety,
chairing numerous local and national committees to study and
improve building codes. He was, for example, instrumental in
developing the building codes for Walt Disney World in Orlando,
Florida.
Scotty was inducted as a Fellow in the American Institute of
Architects (AIA) in 1971 and was a past president of the
Louisiana Architects Association, of the New Orleans Chapter of
the AIA, and of the Construction Industry Association of New
Orleans and Southeast Louisiana. He received the Construction
Industry Association Man of the Year Award in 1977 and the
Louisiana Architects Association Medal of Honor in 1990.
Such a long list of professional achievements would be more than
enough to qualify for a life of distinction, but for Scotty it
was just a starting point. In addition to his work with the Clan
Maxwell Society of the USA, Scotty left a legacy of community
involvement.
He was a central figure in the Grandfather Mountain Highland
Games, America’s premier annual Scottish festival in
Linville, North Carolina. He was a Board Member, Parade Marshall
Emeritus and, with his wife Edith, recipient of the Agnes McRae
Morton Award for Distinguished Service.
He was a founding member of the St. Andrew Society of Louisiana,
Regional Vice President of the St. Andrew Society of the Middle
South, and a past President of the New Orleans Celtic Club.
As a lifelong resident of New Orleans, he was active in the life
of that city, serving as President and Honorary Life Member in
the Round Table Club of New Orleans, honorary Life Member of the
Bienville Club, and Member Emeritus of the World Trade Center of
New Orleans.
Scotty’s historical interests were also wide ranging. He
served as President of the New Orleans Genealogical Research
Society and of the Louisiana Genealogical and Historical Society.
He was a member of the Royal Society of St. George, the Civil War
Round Table of New Orleans, the Society of the War of 1812 in
Louisiana, and the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge.
And his outgoing, sociable nature fit naturally with his
city’s annual Mardis Gras celebrations. He served as King of
Alexis in 1987 and held memberships in Le Debut des Jeunes Filles
de la Nourvelle Orleans and in the Krews of Dorians, Athenians,
and Prophets of Persia.
He was, in short, a man of many interests. And he constantly
sought out others to join in exploring those interests, share
time and ideas with new friends, and touch many people with the
contagious enthusiasm which made him, for so many, an
unforgettable character.
Most of those fortunate enough to know Scotty were also fortunate
enough to know his inseparable companion for 58 years, the late
Edith May Bartholomew. Scotty and Edith were married in 1938, and
Edith died in 1997. She shared his enthusiasm for the Clan
Maxwell Society of the USA and served as the organization’s
secretary for 30 years. Scotty and Edith are survived by their
two daughters, Maureen Maxwell Tipton and Marilyn Maxwell Malone,
and by five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
It is not enough to say that Scotty will be missed. Few come
along in a lifetime to contribute so much and leave such a
visible legacy. For the Clan Maxwell Society of the USA, he was
for many, many years the indispensable man without whom we would
not have been formed or survived our early years. He was, and is,
truly a legend among his beloved Maxwells.
