Maxine C. Derby, 68

NASHUA — Maxine Chertok Derby, 68, of Nashua, died Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at the Community Hospice House in Merrimack.

Maxine was born on June 12, 1952, in Laconia, NH, the youngest daughter of Ed and Polly Chertok. She was a member of Congregation Shalom in Chelmsford, MA.

Maxine enjoyed her vacation home on Lake Winnipesaukee — boating, riding bikes, motorcycles, snowmobiling, skiing, and traveling. People loved being around Max; she was a great story teller just like her dad! She cherished her friendships always listening to concerns and if asked, offering advice and making people feel better about themselves, helping them look at situations from different perspectives…and, in the end, saw the glass as half-full even when it was almost empty.

Maxine was the adoring grandmother of twin 19-month-old granddaughters, Cameron and Reagan, who gave her the will to aggressively fight pancreatic cancer for over 2 1/2 years. She used her knowledge as a highly regarded hospital pharmacist at Lowell General to work with her team of physicians to consider alternative medications and courses of treatment.

Maxine is survived by her husband Peter H. Derby, two sons, Ross Lerner, Tewksbury, MA, and Seth and Lauren Lerner, Chelmsford, MA, and her sister Fredda Osman and brother-in-law David Osman, Gilford, NH, and nephew Ari Osman and his wife Elsah, Gilmanton, NH. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her sister, Susan Chertok.

A private burial service will be held on Friday, July 3, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. at the Chertok Family Cemetery in Belmont, NH. Family and friends that are attending are encouraged to social distance and wear a mask.

For those who wish, the family suggests memorial contributions in Maxine’s name be made to the Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation-Chertok Family Fund, PO Box 7312, Gilford, NH 03247-7312 or to the American Cancer Society, 2 Commerce Drive, Suite 210, Bedford, NH 03110

Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services 603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH, is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.