Max Nelson Gabriel

Max Nelson Gabriel of Amarillo, Texas went to be with his Lord and Savior on March 28, 2026, dying peacefully in his sleep. Max was born on July 20, 1938, to George and Margaret Gabriel in Spur, Texas. Max spent his youth in Spur, graduating from Spur High School in 1957, where he served as student body president. Max then attended Hardin Simmons University in Abilene and served in the United States Army from 1960 until he was honorably discharged in 1965.

Graveside services will be held at 10:30 AM, Friday, April 3, 2026 at the Plainview Cemetery, with Greg Corona officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers, Amarillo, Texas.

Max moved to Plainview, Texas in 1960 where he and his brother, Frank Gabriel, owned and operated Gabriel’s Department Store and the Gabriel-Wayland Shopping Center. In 1967, Max married Marcheta Wood. Max and Marcheta had 2 children, a son, Kyle, and a daughter, Tiffany.

Max was an active and engaged citizen of Plainview. He was a long-time member of the Plainview Chamber of Commerce and the Plainview Lions Club. He also served on the board of directors for Covenant Hospital, High Plains Hospital in Amarillo, and was a deacon at the First Baptist Church of Plainview as well as the President of the Pastor’s Class. Max was honored as Plainview’s Man of the Year in 1989 and was a member of the Plainview Circle of Honor.

Max was especially fond of Wayland Baptist University in Plainview. Max was a Trustee at Wayland for 18 years, serving for 10 years on the Executive Board and as its Chairman in 1997. Max was honored by Wayland as a Board Member Emeritus for his service and received the Blue Flame Award. In addition to Max’s service on Wayland’s Board of Trustees, Max and Marcheta donated all the furniture and decorations for the Prayer Chapel Library, which includes paintings of the Twelve Apostles by Kenneth Wyatt and six stained glass windows. Max and Marcheta also endowed 4 scholarships at Wayland Baptist University.

Max was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Kyle, and a brother, Jim Gabriel. Max is survived by Marcheta, Tiffany, and her husband Chris, 2 grandchildren – Aidan Wright and EmmaKate Wright, his brother Frank, and many nephews and nieces.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Max’s honor to BSA Hospice of the Southwest, to whom the family wishes to extend its deep gratitude.