Max Edward Hendrix

Max Edward Hendrix was born March 24, 1931, in Vance, Quitman County, Mississippi. He was the seventh and youngest child of Floyd Cleveland and Effie Lou Hendrix. He was predeceased by his four brothers – Otis, Moultrie, Asa and Elbert – and two sisters – Mary Knight and Laura Hendrix.

Max never knew his mother. She died two days after his birth. In his early years Max was raised by his Grandmother Hattie Herring. It was a hard life in rural Mississippi during the depression years. When Max was seven years old, his grandmother moved to Memphis with one of her sons’ and Max went to live with his father in Crowder, Mississippi. At the age of nine, Max and his father moved to Memphis, which has been Max’s home ever since. At the age of 16, like many other young men, Max left school and joined the Army Air Corp., which would become the US Air Force near the end of World War 2. After basic training, he was sent to a US base in Panama, where he served in the base post office. At the end of his enlistment Sargent Hendrix returned to Memphis, and took a job at Memphis Sash and Door Company. He didn’t work there long. He applied to work at Memphis Light, Gas and Water and he was hired on as an apprentice lineman – which was lovingly known in the company as a “grunt”. Max became a lineman and then electrical supervisor, and he ultimately retired in 1994 after 43 years with MLGW as a manager in the Electrical Distribution Department of MLGW.

In April 1951, Max stopped at Kings Sundry on Latham in Memphis, and the owner Marvin King introduced him to the pretty young lady that he would soon marry. Max and Jean Ann Oliver were united in marriage on July 28, 1951, in Hernando, Mississippi. Eleven months later they were blessed with the birth of their first daughter – Linda Kay, and then in 1960 a second blessing arrived – their daughter Beverly Rose. In 1991 Max and Jean welcomed their first grandchild – Linda Jane Lause; and in 1994 Richard Daniel Lause was born. Max was devoted and loving husband to Jean for 67 years.

In his early years Max’s grandmother took him to the Primitive Baptist Church at Water Valley, Mississippi. When Jean and Max married his mother-in-law invited him to attend services at Highland Street Christian Church. From that time church became a big part of Max’s life, and over the years he attended Highland Street, University Christian Church and Faith Christian Church. He was always reading and studying the bible, and he served as a deacon ad then an elder in the church.

On January 6, 2004, Max took on a new roll – caretaker to Jean after she had a severe stroke. He was devoted to Jean making sure that she had everything that she needed. He made sure that she got out of the house frequently, giving her a full and meaningful life.

On December 30, 2018, Max was left with a void in his heart. Jean passed on to the next, better life. After that Max had a challenging year – back injury, severe staph infection, skin cancers, prostate cancer and a broken leg and pelvis. – but he had a strong will and a strong faith. Max was optimistic that his body would heal, and he was anticipating being able to get outside in the Spring to work in the yard and feel the sun. During this year he frequently said that he missed Jean, but he knew he would see her again someday.

On March 13, 2020, God decided it was time for Max to leave his earthly body, and now Max is with his beloved Jean once more.