Max Eugene Harksen

1936 - 2019

Max Eugene Dutch' Harksen July 21, 1936 - April 3, 2019 ESCONDIDO Max Eugene Harksen, age 82, of Clinton, IA, longtime resident of Escondido, CA, died on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, after years of battling too many health issues to mention here, and also cancer.A memorial service with military honors will be held later this year.Max's (also known as Dutch) last days were spent with friends and family, including Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington, and Glenn Miller. Apparently, Max's goddamn knees and legs failed him long ago, but his love of jazz was invincible.He was the only child of Harold Lewis Harksen and Emma Grace Deimerly. As legend has it, as a boy Max was known far and wide for his bullfrog riding, goat roping, squirrel hunting, and trout fishing skills. Whether his tall tales are entirely accurate, we were unable to find anyone who could tell us otherwise. So we guess it's safe to say Max was one of the greatest heroes of the Midwest.Max attended Wartburg College, class of 1955, and Augustana College, class of 1958, graduating with an advanced degree in geology. He entered the US Navy on October 2, 1958, serving 13 years and two tours in Vietnam. He was honored and commended with a Combat Action Ribbon, Gallantry Cross, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Achievement Medal, Small Craft Insignia, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Vietnam Service Medal with Four Bronze Stars. All of which was a recent surprise to his family as Max very rarely discussed his time as a sailor. And we never could get him to talk about his "top secret" mission to San Salvador Island. He was a proud veteran to the end.Years after his time in the military, Max continued to serve and volunteer, most notably as president of the San Diego Al Bahr Shriners in 1980, and as a member of the Free Masons and Escondido Lions Club. He was also the most dedicated girls' soccer and softball field chalk liner Escondido ever knew.Max is survived by his three daughters, Nancy, Holly and Marny, and six grandchildren spread out through Southern California and Australia. In his own words, Max was, "well pleased" with his grandkids' creativity and achievements.Max was as bullheaded as they come. But always had a story to share, (his aunt and uncle being eaten by hogs was a favorite) and would impress strangers on the bus with his expert knowledge of the American Civil War, Revolutionary War, American Indians, conspiracy theories, the Chicago Bears, and the Chicago Cubs. (His family is thrilled he lived long enough to see the Cubs finally take the World Series in 2016!)To the end, Max was a voracious reader and hoarder of knowledge, often working through three or four books at a time. In his later years, Max became an obsessive genealogy fan, as well as a collector of American Indian artifacts and jewelry.Max led a unique and full life, even having traveled solo to New Zealand in his 70s and buying his first computer only four years ago to assist him with his never-ending real estate work. Even in his last two weeks, Max was making calls and trying to close one last deal.If Max has one regret, it was that time when, as a high school graduation present, he had to choose between a fishing expedition to Canada or receive stock in some newfangled camera company called Kodak. We never heard if the fish were biting on that trip.