Who is Maurine from Earth Abides and what is their importance?

Maurine is the woman who lives with George. She has been nothing but a housewife, and Ish is always amazed that her home looks like a decorator's showplace. She has surrounded herself with lamps, a phonograph and fancy clock, though none of them work without electricity. She carefully crumples scarves on the tables to achieve a specific look. While Ish can't understand, Em says that it's simply her way of consoling herself - by surrounding herself with the pretty things she would have wanted in a normal lifetime.