Max Proctor, 85, a longtime Moscow, Idaho resident and more recently of Oakesdale, Washington, passed away Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at the Whitman Health & Rehab Center in Colfax. A Memorial Service will be Monday, February 8th, at 2:00 pm at the Moscow Church of the Nazarene. Pastor Tom Dahl of the Oakesdale Baptist Church will officiate. Private family burial with military honors will be at Lewis-Clark Memorial Gardens in Lewiston. McUel "Max" Proctor was born January 28, 1930 on the family farm near Mountain Grove, Missouri. He grew up in a large family of twelve children and learned the lessons of hard work and getting along early in life. He developed a love of horses that he would carry with him all of his life. Max graduated from the Mountain Grove High School and was drafted into the U.S. Army. He served his country as a tank operator during the Korean War and often spoke or reminisced about that awful boat ride over Christmas and New Year's to Korea where many of the men became sick on the ship. He served faithfully and was honorably discharged as Sgt. 1st class in 1954 and returned home to Missouri. A short time later, Max travelled west to visit family. He was drawn to the Colfax area where he went to work for some of the area farmers. He met Joeva F. Eldridge while here and the couple married in 1954. They made their home in Spokane for a brief time where Max worked at the Kaiser aluminum plant. In 1957 they settled in the Moscow area and raised their family there. Max owned and operated his own janitorial and painting business, Max's Industrial Cleaning, from 1965-1974. He spent 18 years in the painting department at WSU and worked into the lead man position there. Max and the family always had horses and many weekends were spent travelling to O-Mok-See's, Gymcana's, or other horse events. As members of the Moscow Jr. Rodeo Assn., they loved to participate in arena riding as a family. He was an active member of the Latah County Sheriff's Posse and also the Gentlemen on Horseback. He also belonged to the American Legion, the Elk's and the MOOSE Lodges. He loved spending time outdoors and the family liked to go camping a lot or out to pick huckleberries. They loved going to their cabin at Rocky Point on Chatcolet Lake as well. Max was also an avid hunter. He and Joeva divorced in 1970. Retirement from WSU came for Max in 1992 and a few years later in 1999 he found happiness again when he met Gloria Olson of Lewiston. They married March 18, 2000 and he moved to Lewiston where they lived together until her passing July 9, 2009. Max and Gloria enjoyed travelling together and had taken many cruises together. They liked camping and would often go dancing too. He moved to Oakesdale, Washington about seven years ago to be closer to family and made many friends and acquaintances while he was there. He is survived by four children: LaJeanne (Kevin) Proctor of Garfield, WA, Terry (Vernita) Proctor of Deary, ID, Kevin (Shannon) Proctor of Cheney, WA and Marletta (Michael "Sak") Sisak of Oakesdale; 9 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren; his brother, Bill Proctor of Cathedral City, CA, and by 2 sisters, Clara "Bea" Kimball of Sun City, AZ and Barbara Marquardt of Keizer, OR. In addition to his wife Gloria, he was preceded in death by 5 brothers and 3 sisters and by his parents. The family suggests memorial gifts be made to the First Baptist Church in Oakesdale for the parsonage fund. On-line guest book is at www.bruningfuneralhome.com
Bruning Funeral Home of Colfax is in charge of the arrangements.