Howard Max Armison

Fillmore --- Howard Max Armison, known simply as “Max” to everyone who loved him, of 11576 Armison Road entered his eternal home with the Lord on October 3, 2025, at the age of 88.

Born and raised on the family dairy farm on Armison Road to Merton and Alta Armison, Max’s roots ran deep in the Fillmore community. From an early age, he learned the value of hard work — tending to cows before the sun came up and carrying that same dedication through every chapter of his life.

In 1960, Max married his high school sweetheart, Betty Canfield, and together they built a home filled with love, laughter, and devotion. Though Betty’s passing in 1998 left a deep ache, Max’s life was blessed again in 2001 when he married his dear friend Janice Gillette. Together, Max and Janice enjoyed a rich “second chapter,” cherishing their years of companionship until her passing in 2019.

Max found joy in both the simple and the industrious. He worked for over 20 years as a milk truck driver for Slocum Milk Hauling Co., proudly circling back to the farming life that shaped him. Yet he could never sit still — whether he was remodeling kitchens, laying stone walls, restoring furniture, or chauffeuring neighbors in what his children called his “Amish Uber,” Max had a knack for rolling up his sleeves and putting his heart into helping others.

Music was another of Max’s gifts. An accomplished, mostly self-taught accordion player, he played often for his church and at the Houghton Nursing Home, lifting spirits with his music. Last year, he was especially proud and excited to join a church band, proving that even at 87, he was eager to keep learning, growing, and sharing his talents.

Those who knew Max will smile remembering his humor, his surprising knack for pranks, his tireless work ethic, and his competitive streak around the card table. Whether it was Phase 10, Uno, or Hand and Foot, Max played with an intensity that revealed a rare side of him — one that never offered mercy but always offered laughter.

Max’s life was a story of love, perseverance, faith, and service. He leaves behind a legacy not measured in wealth or accolades, but in the countless ways he blessed others with his hands, his humor, and his heart.

Faith anchored his life. A lifelong member of Fillmore Wesleyan Church, Max faithfully served as church treasurer for nearly 30 years, a quiet testimony to his integrity and steadfast spirit. His devotion to his church family reflected the same love he poured into his own family: his children, Diane (Paul) Kronmeyer and Sherri Armison; his grandchildren Ryan, Victoria (Brad), Kordell, Connor, and Kyra; his sister Dorothy Konz; his brother Clair (Connie) Armison; and the many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who will carry his memory forward.

In addition to his parents and wives, Max was predeceased by an infant daughter, Kimberly Elaine, his sister, Judy Morris, parents-in-law, Gerald and Marie Canfield, brother-in-law, David Konz, sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Donna and Rodney Horton, and his nephew, Douglas Potter.

A celebration of Max’s life will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2025 at 7:00 pm at the Fillmore Wesleyan Church, 20 E Main Street, Fillmore where friends and family will gather to honor and remember a life well lived and a man well loved. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery, Fillmore.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fillmore Powerhouse Youth Center, 23 W. Main Street, Fillmore NY 14735