Maxine Caroll Lawrence had a life primarily hidden from cameras and headlines. Some records call her Maxine Carroll Lawrence, others Maxine Carol Lawrence Hines. She was famous for her marriage to Waylon Jennings, although her upbringing was marked by family relocation, motherhood, two marriages, and a modest life in Texas.
In Dinuba, Tulare County, California, Maxine was born on October 13, 1937. She was the daughter of 1906-born Claude Lawrence and 1909-born Alma Rue Ford. Family member Claudine Lawrence is a sister. Maxine had a nomadic childhood. It appears the family lived in California during her childhood and Lamb County, Texas, by 1950.
That migration from California to Texas placed Maxine in a larger American story of families seeking work, stability, and opportunity. Agriculture, small businesses, churches, and family shaped her towns. She was raised during World War II and became an adult in the 1950s, when country music and early rock & roll were transforming popular culture.
Maxine Lawrence and Waylon Jennings
She was most known for her marriage to Waylon Jennings. Jennings was born near Littlefield, Texas, on June 15, 1937, few months before Maxine. In a poor agricultural family, he learnt guitar from his mother, toiled in cotton fields, and performed on local radio as a child.
Common family stories say they married in Clovis, New Mexico, on December 24, 1955. Some accounts say 1956. Both were about 18. Prior to his success as a country singer, Jennings was involved with radio stations, small venues, menial labour, and questionable artistic chances.
Their early marriage was rocky. Jennings was trying to create a career, and the pair had to balance young parenting with a musician’s schedule. Music might be exciting, but it can also involve lengthy journeys, insecure finances, temporary houses, and long absences.
Jennings changed personally and professionally after the 1959 plane tragedy that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. The family spent time in Arizona. P. Richardson. Jennings dropped out of flying with Holly. The event changed his life and career.
Maxine raised children while Jennings pursued a singing career. His career led him to become a renowned outlaw figure with a particular sound and independence. The path to success was narrow and difficult then. Although Maxine’s job was mostly domestic and private, it was crucial to the family she established.
The Jennings Children
Maxine and Waylon Jennings became associated with four children. Their children carried the Jennings name into music, radio, writing, and family history.
| Child | Birth and death details | Known family role |
|---|---|---|
| Terry Vance Jennings | January 21, 1957 to January 25, 2019 | Author, manager, musician, and longtime participant in his father’s career |
| Julie Rae Jennings | August 12, 1958 to October 3, 2014 | Worked in music and later became a disc jockey |
| Buddy Dean Jennings | Born March 21, 1960 | Maintained a more private life than his siblings |
| Deana Carol Jennings | August 27, 1964 to March 9, 2015 | Youngest daughter associated with the family |
The oldest was Terry Jennings. Working with his father, he managed, wrote, and performed music. His later writing revealed the difficult relationship between a famous father and his family. Terry knew the luxury and pressure of being Waylon Jennings’ son.
Julie Rae Jennings also worked in the music world during part of her life. She was connected to her father’s professional circle and later worked as a disc jockey in Florida. Her career reflected the way music remained a thread running through the family, even when individual members chose different paths.
Buddy Dean Jennings lived more privately. Public details about him are limited, but he remained part of the family story and the group of children raised during Waylon Jennings’s early career.
The family records named Deana Carol Jennings as the youngest daughter. Her birthdate is August 27, 1964. This date after the 1962 divorce, therefore family timelines vary. However, Maxine and Waylon’s family link remains in their biography.
Divorce and a Second Marriage
1962 saw Maxine and Waylon Jennings divorce. Jennings was still seeking national prominence when they split. Later in life, he married multiple times, had musical success, and struggled with addiction and health. The public story did not revolve around Maxine.
On August 30, 1973, Maxine married Morris Wesley Hines in Dallas, Texas. Hines was born in 1936 and was from Clarksville, Texas. The couple remained together until his death in 2000.
With Jennings’ publicity, Maxine’s second marriage seems peaceful. She resided in Texas with a private family. There are few public facts about her employment, interests, or household, but that doesn’t mean they’re unimportant. Family care, practical employment, and community connections helped many of her generation live, but newspapers and entertainment biographies rarely mention them.
Parents and Family Connections
Maxine’s father, Claude Lawrence, died 1959. She lost her mother Alma Rue Ford in 1962. Losing both parents so quickly would have made Maxine’s adulthood harder, especially since she was raising young children and ending her first marriage.
The family record includes her sister Claudine Lawrence. Maxine is part of a family visit and Texas network, according to relatives and friends. Family stories describe a musical nephew, possibly Terry Jennings, but are not always accurate.
The family story shows how personal history often spreads across several communities. California, West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and the Dallas area all appear in the timeline. These places formed the backdrop for Maxine’s childhood, marriage, motherhood, and later years.
Maxine’s Later Years and Burial
Maxine Caroll Lawrence died on December 16, 2004, in Grand Prairie, Dallas County, Texas. She was 67 years old. Her second husband, Morris Hines, had died four years earlier, and her former husband, Waylon Jennings, had died in 2002.
She was buried in Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery. Her burial there places her final resting place within a large national memorial setting, surrounded by the names and histories of many American families.
Several of her children died after her. Julie died in 2014, Deana died in 2015, and Terry died in 2019. These later losses extended the family’s story across another generation and kept Maxine’s name connected to the public history of the Jennings family.
Career, Money, and Public Recognition
There is little evidence of an independent public career for Maxine. She is best understood as a private homemaker and mother who supported a family during a difficult and formative period in Waylon Jennings’s life.
Her financial situation is private. No verifiable public record describes a big corporate, entertainment, or personal fortune. What support she received after divorce is unknown. Her later life seems modest and private, not celebrity-driven.
Her most lasting achievements were personal. She raised four children, endured the uncertainties of a young musician’s career, experienced the loss of her parents, built a second marriage, and maintained family ties without seeking public attention. Her life was not a spotlight. It was more like the steady foundation beneath a house that others noticed first.
FAQ
Who was Maxine Caroll Lawrence?
Maxine Caroll Lawrence was a California born woman who later lived in Texas and became known publicly as the first wife of country musician Waylon Jennings. She was also the mother of four children associated with the Jennings family.
When was Maxine Caroll Lawrence born?
Maxine was born on October 13, 1937, in Dinuba, Tulare County, California.
When did Maxine marry Waylon Jennings?
She married Waylon Jennings in Clovis, New Mexico, on December 24, 1955, according to commonly reported family details. Some records list the marriage year as 1956.
How long were Maxine Lawrence and Waylon Jennings married?
Their marriage lasted until their divorce in 1962.
How many children did Maxine and Waylon Jennings have?
They are associated with four children: Terry Vance Jennings, Julie Rae Jennings, Buddy Dean Jennings, and Deana Carol Jennings.
Who was Maxine’s second husband?
Maxine married Morris Wesley Hines on August 30, 1973, in Dallas, Texas. They remained married until his death in 2000.
When did Maxine Caroll Lawrence die?
She died on December 16, 2004, in Grand Prairie, Dallas County, Texas, at age 67.
Where is Maxine Lawrence buried?
She is buried in Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery.
Did Maxine have a public career?
No prominent independent career is widely documented. Her public identity is mainly connected to her marriage to Waylon Jennings and her role as a mother.
What happened to her children?
Terry Jennings died in 2019, Julie Jennings died in 2014, and Deana Jennings died in 2015. Buddy Dean Jennings has remained comparatively private.
