Max Wilson Grossnickle

Max Wilson Grossnickle, 87, of Ankeny, IA and a former Erie resident, passed away, 5:35 p.m. Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Mill Pond Senior Living Center in Ankeny.

Max Wilson Grossnickle Jr. was born to Max and Helen on July 22, 1938, back when babies were routinely born at home. He entered the world as what was termed a "blue baby," oxygen-deprived and limp. An astute country doctor discovered a bit of pink on his tongue and, not wanting to lose a baby on his watch, began dunking the newborn back and forth between warm and cold water, forcing life into the lifeless. Thus, began what his mother declared to be her most colicky and discontented child and who could blame him after such a start?

Max was the fourth and final child with fellow siblings Gwenna, Ruth and Wayne, all spaced two years apart. Raised on a farm outside of Laurens, Iowa, they played hard and worked harder, learning those good ole farm values that have stuck with him his entire life. It also instilled core beliefs like, "I will NEVER have milk cows. Or chickens. Or horses. Or animals in the house."

Max was a small scrawny kid through early high school. He was picked on for his rather large ears, especially the right one which refused to be symmetrical. However, by the time he was an upper classman, he began to acquire that height for which he became known. Wayne and Max became a force both on the football field as well as the basketball court where they played for McPherson College, a small Church of the Brethren school in Kansas. A lovely young student and cafeteria worker by the name of Bonnie Hodgden caught his eye and they were married when she finished college two years after him.

Max graduated with a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in guidance counseling, which Bonnie helped him acquire by teaching fifth grade while he went to school and coached. Their first child, Darlene, was born during this time followed two and half years later by Byron. Max got his first counseling job in Rolfe and later in his home town of Laurens. And one would think he lived happily ever after. However, the pull of the family farm was ever persuasive, and he ended up leaving education all together. Moving back to the home place, he worked the land with his father and brother, who had a neighboring farm. In 1972, twins, Darry and Dean, brought a whole new level of entertainment and potential work-force to finish out the family.

The cattle crisis of the '80's as well as advanced farming practices sent Max into a bi-vocational lifestyle: teaching during the day and farming after school was dismissed. He taught for both the Albert City and Pochahontas school districts during this time. By the late 90's several things conspired to dislodge Max from the family farm. Bonnie's parents and aunt were aging and living on a small hobby farm in SE Kansas. Also, it took less people to farm the same amount of land than when he started, so Max turned the Iowa farm over to his brother's family, packed his tools and moved to five ponds and a pasture of cows outside of Erie, Kansas.

Max and Bonnie loved their 25 years of "retirement" life. Whether sitting at the picture window overlooking the rolling hills or outside on the double swing taking in the sunset, these made up some of their happiest moments. A massive heart attack in September of 2023, precipitated a move to Ankeny, Iowa, to be closer to family. Mill Pond Retirement Community has been their home these past two and a half years. Even there, Max has tried to be a blessing to others by leading a Bible study, visiting, serving where he could…..all the things that have always made him the man that many love and call friend. Battling progressive dementia and a recent fall and broken hip, has challenged the music loving, jovial man. His heart and mind never left his Kansas farm, so being in such an urban setting was a huge ache to him.

We praise God that Max is free from his recent struggles. He will be remembered for his faithful church attendance, Sunday School teaching, serving on various boards at church and in the community, joke telling, hugs, singing the first line of many songs, and all round engagement with everyone he met. He is survived by his wife, four children and spouses, 12 grandchildren with three spouses, and 11 great grandchildren. The Bible promises us a mansion; we are hoping there is a farm for Max. (Written by Darlene Grossnickle Lubinus)

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 27, 2026, at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Parsons. Burial will follow in the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Galesburg. The family will receive friends from 1p.m. until service time on Friday. Memorials are suggested to the Western Way Cowboy Church, and these may be left at or mailed to the funeral home 112 N. 26th St., P.O. box 942, Parsons, KS 67357. Online condolences may be left at www.wallfuneralservices.com.