Max I. Elliott

Max Elliott, 89, of Traverse City, passed away on September 2, 2015. He was born in Buckley, Michigan to Harold and Elsie Elliott on September 26, 1925. He was delivered by his grandmother, Ella Pringle, the local midwife. Max died knowing he was deeply loved by his family and that they loved each other deeply too. He was at peace. Max was, above all, a dedicated husband and father. He was married to Dorothy for 68 years and he cherished and adored her. At Thanksgiving he always expressed his gratitude for the life they made together. Twenty years ago he almost singlehandedly nursed Dorothy back to health from cancer and meningitis. He lifted her, medicated her, fed her, and willed her to get better. She did. Max was very proud that his seven children all valued marriage as much as he did. He counted the years of their marriages often, over 249 years so far. He loved watching his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren celebrating their times together. Max did not participate in the shenanigans -- charades, talent shows, water fights, ball games and pranks. While he was never a downhill skier himself, he spent hundreds of cold and wet hours on the ski slopes watching his kids and their teammates run gates. He was usually a race official at the starting gate. His eyes would sparkle when one of his kids was in the starting gate and he would softly say, “Let ‘em run.” Max loved playing euchre. He was first at the table when the euchre cards were brought out. He loved those tournaments. He was a shrewd player who never trumped his partner’s ace. Max’s attitude of abundance made him a friend and father-figure to many. He believed that there was always room for one more in his circle of care. That circle included friends and relatives of his children, old and new neighbors, and fellow horse pull fans. He enjoyed hearing, telling, and retelling stories about their lives. His final days were enriched by their visits, notes, and calls. Hard work was his way of life and a lesson he taught all of his family. A family motto was, “Dad’s home. Look busy.” He would be proud of his youngest great granddaughter’s recent Instagram post, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” Max worked at several jobs. He spent most of his working years buying and selling cattle. He even had his own cattle truck. He was a skilled butcher. He also worked for the State of Michigan as a livestock expert and as a weights and measures official. He relished physical labor but he also had an incredibly agile mind. He could listen to complicated number problems and have a solution in seconds. He had an amazing sense of direction. Roads, named and unnamed, were all in his head. He never got lost. He never needed an electronic contact list. He knew names, faces and family histories without such help. After Max retired, he and Dorothy traveled extensively. Their motor home criss-crossed the entire United States. Their children never knew where their parents were, probably by design. They cruised to Alaska. They also toured Europe twice with their best friends. The trips were organized by a favorite polka band. Max celebrated a birthday doing the chicken dance at Oktoberfest in Munich. Max was connected to nature in a special way. He had a lifetime attachment to hunting. He shared this passion with his brothers, sons, brothers-in-law, nephews and grandsons. Until his late 80’s, he spent countless days afield hunting deer in Michigan as well as chasing elk in the Colorado Rockies and pheasants in South Dakota. He loved nothing more than filling his pockets full of candy bars, fixing a thermos of strong, black coffee and heading out into the fields. Max’s gardens were legendary in their bounty. Seed packets in February. Onion sets and peas in March and April. Seedlings in May and June. He just added dirt, water, and hard work to create a harvest for friends and family. He died leaving lots of tomatoes on the vine, a fitting remembrance. His connection to horses was almost as strong. He grew up when draft horses were essential to a farm, and he loved nothing better than watching horse pulling contests with his friends. Max is survived by his wife Dorothy, his children Roxanne Reschke (Dave), Susan McGarry (John), Gene (Conni), Janice Shugart (Bruce), Joseph (Sheryl), Daniel (Mary Jo), Jon (Sue); his grandchildren Misha Elliott Green (Jason), Katherine Reschke Harp (Andy), Chad Elliott, Ben Elliott, Paul Elliott, Jessica Elliott, Hannah Elliott, Max Elliott, Kelsi Elliott, Colin Elliott and his great grandchildren Ryan Green, Bryn Green, Sophie Harp and Ryan Harp. Max’s family will be having a celebration of his life later this fall. In the meantime, Dorothy would love to hear a memory from you at her new home at Boardman Lake Glen, 1400 Brigadoon Court, Inverness #5, Traverse City, MI 49686. The family requests that any memorial donations in Max’s honor be sent to the Window Replacement Fund at the St. Mary-Hannah School, 2912 West M-113, Kingsley, MI 49649, or to the Preserve Hickory Fund, 233 North Madison, Traverse City, Michigan 49684. Please feel free to share your thoughts and memories with Max’s family at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com. The family is being cared for by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

Max I. Elliott

September 26, 1925 - September 2, 2015