MAX EVAN MADSEN      1948 - 2026

Max Madsen loved his morning routine. Sitting down with a big breakfast at one of his favorite greasy spoon diners, he'd flick open the obituaries to "see if I'm in there." Well, today, he is.

Max Evan Madsen was born March 7, 1948, in Boise, Idaho, the third of Milo and Lila Madsen's five sons. He passed away from Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Salt Lake City on May 1, 2026.

With a big, booming voice and larger-than-life personality, Max is hard to capture in words alone. He loved deeply, was annoyed easily, complained loudly, and made a lasting impression on all who met him. He attended Highland High School and later served in the Air Force Reserves, getting up to many wacky antics with his friends and driving his faithful Mormon parents crazy, who lamented he'd never amount to any good. Thankfully, he proved them wrong with a long career at FedEx, where he managed hazardous materials shipments. He had endless funny and gross stories about packages full of body parts, toxic substances, or just plain weird stuff. Early retirement led to a second career as a handyman, and many homes in Sugar House bear his mark.

Max experienced a number of intense and volatile long-term relationships before finding true love later in life. From the moment his family met Sue Noorda, they were also in love with her and never failed to let Max know that she was far too good for him. Neither was eager to commit, so they lived in blissful sin for several years before a fire triggered a homeowners insurance claim that wouldn't be covered unless they were married. They headed down to the courthouse one morning and were declared retroactively married. Then each went off to work, much to the disappointment of their families, who wanted a big celebration.

Sue was a package deal, bringing Max the family he never expected but came to love deeply. Their four grandchildren — Maddie, Calvin, Jake, and Sophie — were the pride and joy of his life. Though "Gampa Max" could be a bit scary with his loud voice and giant stature, the grandkids (and his nieces and nephews) discovered that if they got closer, he was a champion snuggler who carried the faint lingering vanilla aroma of his pipe smoke. He was also likely to have snacks.

His later years were spent traveling to see the kids and vacationing with them, or spending time with Sue and their dear friends up at their cabin in Fruitland, Utah. A devoted University of Utah sports fan, Max could be found out smoking in his shop if a game got too intense. He spent countless hours puttering on various home improvement projects, keeping occupied so he didn't drive Sue too crazy.

He is survived by his beloved Sue, stepchildren Cindi (Trent) Wolfert and Jason (Crystal) Grimes, his four grandchildren, and his brothers Larry, Clyde, and Von. He was preceded in death by his parents and oldest brother Grant. His diagnosis and decline were swift, and for once, Max made the obituaries before he had the chance to check.

A private Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.