Max L. Sumner

Max L. Sumner passed away July 28, 2020, peacefully with his family by his side. Max was born May 19, 1938, in Ludlow, Vermont. He was the third sibling of five brothers and one sister. The family later moved down to Massachusetts.

Max graduated from Greenfield High School in 1955. In 1957 he joined the Army and was in the 82nd Airborne. Max was stationed in Germany during his enlistment. When he left the service, he came home and started sport parachuting. He met his future wife, Martha, at a department store where he worked. They were married for 58 years until his passing.

Max loved the outdoors, fishing and hunting. One of his younger brothers made a trip to Idaho in the 1960s and told Max all about the beautiful lakes and hunting areas, so he gathered his family and headed West. He never regretted making that decision to move to Idaho.

In 1968 he went to work at Kaiser Aluminum and retired after 30 years. On the weekends, when he wasn't working, the family went camping. The kids loved it. He bought a boat in 1977 and took the kids fishing and water skiing all summer long. He taught all his kids how to hunt and fish. When the grandkids started arriving, Max spent a lot of time taking them hunting and fishing after he retired from Kaiser.

Max was a skilled carpenter and in 1969, he built their house in Wolf Lodge. He also built the garage and outbuildings on their property. He was very proud of the things he built and was a DIY kind of man. He was able to fix almost anything.

Max was well known for his gift of gab and humor, and he was a bit of a prankster. He had a curiosity about many things in life and enjoyed teaching and showing the things he learned to his children and grandchildren.

Max was generous and had a big heart. He was willing to lend a helping hand to his friends and family.

Max was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Cora Sumner; his younger brother, Craig, and both of his sons, David and Mike Sumner. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Martha; his two daughters, Shari Galliher and Michelle Sumner; six grandchildren, four great-grandsons; many nieces and nephews and cousins.

Due to the current pandemic, there will be a celebration of life held sometime in the spring