Max Davis Mecham

Max Davis Mecham was born March 16, 1975. They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. He certainly came into the world like a lion on that March day. Max's birth story was filled with trauma that had lasting effects on his cognitive and physical abilities. And just like the saying goes, he went out of this world like a lamb - gently and peacefully passing into the arms of his loving mother, May 20, 2025.
Max was born the day before St. Patrick's Day to Maxine Lowisa (Averett) King and Richard Lynn Mecham, and just like any good (nearly) St. Patrick's Day baby, he loved the color green. He missed that lucky day by just one, and hearing his story, it might seem luck skipped him entirely. But one thing is for sure: we were all so lucky to have him.
Max had more brain surgeries than we can count, more close calls than you would believe, and he was always given very little chance or hope. But Max was a fighter, or maybe even a cat with nine lives. His will and personality were always so much stronger than his body.
Max had many hopes and dreams - things he wanted to accomplish. His health just never seemed to cooperate. But Max did have one thing that made him more proud than any worldly achievement ever could have - his daughter, Sydnee. As badly as he wanted to, he never quite mastered being a dad, but he treasured watching Sydnee grow under the loving care of her grandparents and become the most remarkable woman.
Max fought hard for everything in life, and just as anyone would, he eventually started to grow tired. When our mother passed away just last month, he came to her bedside, and the first thing he said to her was, "Do you remember our deal?""Yes," she assured him. "I remember. I remember." That "deal" between the two of them was that whoever passed away first would come back to get the other one. She didn't forget.
Just a few short weeks after the passing of our mother, and just two doors away in the very same ICU, Max's body finally became so sick that his heart and lungs lost their strength. His loved ones, most specially his beautiful daughter Sydnee, gathered close, stroked that incredible head of hair he had, poured out our love for him and held his hand, and for the first time in Max's life, he finally allowed himself to stop fighting and rest.
Max brought joy to everyone who knew him. His chatty, outgoing, and welcoming nature drew people in. When you'd visit him at his care center, it felt like he was a celebrity the way people gravitated to him to talk, sit at his bingo table or hear him sing at karaoke. He was elected vice president of the activities committee and loved coming up with ideas to make things fun. Now, he's entertaining a heavenly crowd: his grandmother who adored him, his cousin April who he loved so very much, and of course, his mother. Clearly, our Father in Heaven understood those two were never meant to be apart.
So, it's goodbye for now, our beloved karaoke king, bingo champ, Scattergories star, creative chef, loving artist, and most importantly, dad, grandpa, son, brother, and uncle. We will miss you beyond measure. If only we could show you all the nice things about you in this obituary and hear you say just one more time, "Right on! Right on!"
Max is survived by his daughter, Sydnee (Korey) Warner, and their three precious children: Bodhi, Charlie, and Navy; his dad, Ed King; sisters Roxeanne (Pisinga) Vainuku and Amanda King; nieces and nephews: Mele (Rylee) Gautavai, Phoebe Vainuku, P. Emil Vainuku, Shelby McKean, Max Vainuku (who is named after him), and Aspen Linam; as well as many loving great-nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Max will be honored and remembered in a family graveside service, where he will be laid to rest with his mother.