Max Eddie Bolin

Max E. Bolin, known as "the nicest guy on Merrill Field ", entered into the presence of Jesus on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, four days before his 83rd birthday. Two and one half years ago, the residual effects of Agent Orange, from Max's service in Vietnam (1965-1967), manifested with the diagnosis of stage four metastatic prostate cancer. The treatment he had at that time worked quickly and well with no bad side effects. That treatment gave us two years of good, normal life together. He went to work, we traveled outside of Alaska and inside of Alaska and we rejoiced in every moment. In March of this year, the cancer returned. Even though cancer is the culprit that led to the end of his life, it was not what determined how long he lived. Scripture is clear that before the foundation of the Earth, God has numbered our days and when our purpose in this life is fulfilled He calls us home. Max was neither fearful nor distraught at knowing that the end of his life was coming. However, even as close as two weeks before his death he was telling me there were some tools he wanted to order on eBay!

The first third of his life was lived in beautiful Northwest Montana. He was born in Harlowton, Montana, and when he was two the family moved to Kalispell. He grew up hunting and fishing and in the summers working on a ranch in the Lost Prairie region. There he built muscle, learned how to fix anything, and established a good work ethic.

He graduated from Flathead County High School in 1961 and attended LeTourneau Technological Institute in Longview, Texas, for two years. It was there that he learned principles of design and engineering which served him well for the next 60 years in the field of construction and real estate development. Max and Mary (Fenske) were married in 1969 and arrived in Anchorage 10 days later. Max was an accomplished pilot, logging many hours of bush flying in his Maule 4. He was involved in the aviation industry from 1973 as the silent partner of Stoddard's Aircraft Parts on Merrill Field. In these last years he delighted in going to Stoddards daily and spent many hours with his buddies in the break room, drinking coffee and talking airplane stories.

Max's father, Charles A.Bolin, and his mother, Nadine (Smith) Bolin, pastored the Church of God in Kalispell. Max was raised with good principles of living as a Christian which was evident through his business transactions and the help he rendered others throughout his whole life. Although Max and Mary had supported Christian missionaries for years, it was in 1996 that Joe LoMonaco, real estate partner in LoMonaco Bolin Construction, invited Max to participate in a mission trip to Guatemala. Max was very reluctant to go, he was always a behind-the-scenes guy, never wanting to be out front and certainly never open to speaking in front of groups. He was afraid that if he went on this mission trip the church family would ask him to speak to them about his experience and he could not bear that. But he did go. And on the way had an encounter with God that changed his life forever. His heart and his mind were changed from former things that had taken his time and attention and turned him toward using whatever resources he had to make known the goodness of God to people in Guatemala and around the world. Over the next 25 years, Max and Mary made more than 25 trips to that country, leading mission groups to serve others. Those trips led to many lives being changed, not only in Guatemala, but also for the people who were on those trips. That became Max's life work and legacy and he spoke about it, even in front of large groups, many times!

He is survived by his wife, Mary; sister, Elaine (Paul) Druse and their children, Shaunna (Joe) Stanfill and Paul Druse Jr; brother-in-law, Robert Allenbrand, and his children, Jason (Amy) Allenbrand and Kristi (Chuckie) Oskle; Montana cousins Rena (Larry) Lautaret, Rick (Beverly) Smith, Melody (Dennis) Ackley; sister-in-law JoAnne Greig, her children Gary (Connee) Greig and Christine (Steve) McClusky.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Nadine Bolin; sister Lynetta Allenbrand; brother-in-law John Fenske; and favored Uncle and Aunt Gene and Louise Smith.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 16, 2025,

3:00 PM at Cornerstone Church in Anchorage. Live stream is available at akcornerstone.org.

Interment will be in the private family resting place not far from Lost Prairie Ranch, west of Kalispell, Montana.

In lieu of flowers, Mary requests any desired donations be made to the Guatemala Mission program, Proyecto Fe International, which Max cofounded with Joe LoMonaco. Details can be found at proyectofe.org.