Max E. Bush

On August 22, 2015 Max passed away due to complications of pneumonia and leukemia at the age of 84, a battle he bravely fought for many years.A funeral service will be held Tuesday, August 25, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel with burial to follow at Highland Cemetery. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.Where do we begin to tell a brief story about a man whose legacy in life was far more than the bounds that an ordinary obituary column can hold? His family wants to paint a portrait of an extraordinary man in our own way. Max Eugene Bush was born on the Nebraska family farm May 16, 1931 to John and Ida Bush. He was the baby of seven he knew immediately he would have to make an impact to get noticed. His hobbies of farming, fishing, camping, working on cars and heavy equipment really came into play throughout his entire life.Max joined the United States Air Force and pursued what he loved, mechanics. He was stationed in Alaska and eventually made his way to Montana where he made his home. Upon his honorary discharge from Malmstrom Air Force Base, he worked for HO Auto. Because mechanics was such a passion of his, he decided to open his own business. He has been the owner and operator of Bush's Repair and Machine since 1964. Max having a wonderful, generous spirit is why he gained numerous friends in the community who would stop by the shop to say hello and have returned to visit for over fifty years. Shortly after opening Bush's, he purchased a ranch south of Great Falls where he farmed and ranched for over forty years. After two marriages and his four wonderful children Randy, Les, Mike, and Joleen he remained confident that the perfect woman to complete his life would one day appear.On October 7, 1972, he wed his one true love, Joyce Stach and took in her six children Corrinne, Harry, Joyce, Penny, Patty, and Gerald. Over time, Max was their daddy and continued to be until his passing. To Max, the words Step and Half meant nothing...these ten souls were his children. He was a man of few words, half hugs, sly jokes, simple needs, a crooked smile and even though he didn't always broadcast his love-we felt it 100%.He will be greatly missed but we have all acknowledged the fact that the good Lord let us have several years longer than we anticipated.Max is survived by his wife, and best friend Joyce; sisters Emma Crawford and Nora Bush; his children and their spouses Randy and Sherriee Bush, Les and Nyla Bush, Mike Bush, Joleen Corderio, Corrinne and Lonnie Johnson, Harry Schlehr, Joyce Stanger and Bill Yates, Penny Hill, Patty and Robert Martin, and Gerald and Kim Schlehr; numerous nieces and nephews; a few more that he adopted as his family Walter Corderio, Joe Schlehr, and Jim Schlehr; all of his grandchildren; great grandchildren; and great-great grandchildren. His side-kick grandson, Mathias Martin, who was always an amazing comfort to him.He was preceded in death by his mother and father Ida and John Bush; his brothers Howard, Andrew, and Bob; his sisters Helen and one baby sister her name unknown.Our world will be short one true hero in blue jean overalls, but we know he is in heaven baking sugar cookies with Jesus.