Illinois Valley news., December 07, 2016, Page 3, Image 3

Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Page A-3
VFW Post Commander Max Carter remembered
By Laura Mancuso
IVN Staff
On Dec. 3 a celebration of life was held
for Max Carter, WWII veteran and former post
commander of the Veteran of Foreign Wars,
Post 5995 of the Illinois Valley.
A full house with veterans and friends
gathered at Sportsman Tavern to honor and
reminisce about what a great man Carter was.
“His smile, personality and his stories, I
just loved Max, he was my little guy, so full of
life,” said his friend Holly Warner who helped
organize the celebration of life.
His friends had many kind words to say
about Carter, but they also were still upset
about how he died.
On Nov. 14, 2016 Carter was struck and
killed by a hit-and-run driver. This is still an
active investigation and family and friends are
urging anyone with information to please call
the Oregon State Police Major Crimes Section
at 541-776-6111.
“I call the state trooper all the time to see
if they have any information about the hit-and-
run,” said Lisa Bond, a friend of Carters for
the last 15 years. When asked what she will
miss most about Max she said, “My chubbies.”
(Carter always gave her an endearing pinch
on her cheek every time he saw her.) She
expressed how she hopes someone will
be brave enough to come forward with
information.
“He was a helluva nice guy; he did not
deserve to get run over,” said longtime friend
Marvin Haney, 89, fellow WWII veteran.
Many of his veteran friends sat around a
table remembering Carter.
“He was alive, animated, and brilliant
in his life and the kindest, gentlest man I ever
knew. I loved transporting Max; he told me
about his life during and after the war,” said
De Spellman driver and volunteer coordinator
for the Department of Veteran Affairs’
American Eagle Van. “Everyone liked Max
and he loved to have fun.”
“He fell in love with the area,” said
Dave Cameron, 20-year friend and veteran
when asked what brought Carter to the area.
Apparently Carter was a miner and was
known for driving around a “worn-out green
International Jeep” with his mining equipment
in it.
Old photographs of Carter were passed
around and then, with tears in everyone’s eyes,
Mr. Smith, an anonymous friend, veteran, and
donor to the event, led the group in a toast to
Carter. Next, Smith and a group of veterans
left to spread his ashes in an undisclosed
location that was special to Carter.
“Happy, cheery, smiley, loveable, I will
miss his smile and laugh the most,” said Sue
Bee Grissom, a friend who met Carter in
1998 when she teasingly tried to run him over
with her motorcycle in a parking lot. Grissom
remembered Carter paying her and her
daughter “handsomely” when they removed
blackberry bushes at his home. Grissom
expressed remorse for never taking Carter for a
promised ride on her motorcycle.
“He always had a good attitude,” said
Brenda O’Neal who met Carter in the ‘90s
(Photo by Laura Mancuso, Illinois Valley News)
Veteran Ron Hiler (left) and Deb Cladwell-Miller look at photos from the past
of Max Carter at his celebration of life Saturday, Dec. 3.
when she owned Ivy’s Roadhouse. She often
played gin rummy with Carter and she stayed
good friends with him; speaking to him once
a week on the phone. “He was so witty, funny
and clever. He had gone to college and that
was something different for someone of his
age.”
“He was a good man; put his life on the
line for his country, he was well-liked by the
community. I hope the person(s) responsible
for his death are made to pay, in full,” said
veteran Ron Hiler.
According to Hiler, Carter always had
a saying when giving a toast, “Babbalucci
Gabbalucci, down the hatch!”
Owners Ed & Colene Gonzalez