Max Ray Patridge

Max Ray Patridge was born to his parents Wilbur and Alice (Martin) Patridge in his childhood farm home in Vayland, South Dakota, on June 27, 1930. He was the second child born; his siblings were Lowell, Beverly, and Billy. They all went to the country school in Hand County. Max started high school but quit to help his father on the farm.

In 1951 Max was drafted into the Army. He went to heavy equipment school and was sent to Korea, and he helped build the air strip in Seoul, Korea. He became a Corporal and was honorably discharged in 1953.

After the service, he, his brother Billy, and a friend decided to come to California to look for jobs and more opportunities than South Dakota had to offer at the time. They lived in their car for the first two weeks until they had enough money to pay rent. He often said he was homeless but never stood on a corner with a sign.

After a few odd and end jobs, Max found his future career as a gear cutter at a gear manufacturing plant in Los Angeles. Through the help of an older worker he learned to be a gear machinist.

In the spring of 1957 he met Betty (Paye), when she and a girlfriend drove to California on a vacation. Her girlfriend was dating Max’s friend, they went on a double date, and I guess you can say the rest is history. They were married on August 31, 1957. They were blessed with four children: Connie, Monty, Bradley and Mark.

In 1969 the gear manufacturing company which Max had worked at for four years at that time went bankrupt. Max and three partners decided to buy some equipment at the auction and start their own gear manufacturing company, which they named Industrial Sprockets and Gears, Inc. Over the years each of the partners were bought out and today Max is the owner and President of the company. Through lots of hard work Industrial Sprockets and Gears has grown to a thriving business, where all three children are the mainstays of the company. Bradley always wanted to be a pilot and off he went to pursue his dreams.

Max enjoyed his work so much, he always said he was happy making gears. Max also never forgot his roots, and starting in the 70’s he purchased some farmland near where he was born and raised. Over the years Max and Betty have amassed over 11,000 acres, built a beautiful home on their farm and have enjoyed many, many years of going to the farm twice a year. Their children and grandchildren also enjoy the farm so much. With the help of a group of wonderful hardworking men, the farm has also grown to be a thriving, successful business.

Max was a lifetime member of the VFW Post 1776 in Huron, South Dakota and the American Legion in Wessington, South Dakota. He enjoyed hunting and some fishing while at the farm. He also enjoyed watching professional car races. In his later years he thoroughly enjoyed his grandsons and their racing endeavors.

Anyone who knew Max knows that he liked to be on the go. As a family growing up, I don’t think there were very many weekends where we didn’t go for a drive, usually ending up at one of his brothers’ houses. When we asked where we were going he would always say Third and Plum.

Max passed away May 27, 2016, while home holding Betty’s hand. He would have been 86 on June 27.

He is survived by his wife Betty, daughter Connie, sons Monty and Mark (Lynn); grandchildren, Jeremy, Josh (Ashleigh), Jacob, Julianna, Audrina, Casey (Kyle), Marky (Theani), Samantha, and Preston; great-grandchildren, Ryder Max, Jaxson Leigh, Sadie Raine, and Sam Draven; sisters-in-law, Carolyn Patridge and Marjorie Patridge; and many nieces and nephews. We are also looking forward to the addition coming soon of two new great-granddaughters.

Max is preceded in death by his parents, Wilbur and and Alice Patridge, his son, Max Bradley Patridge, his daughter-in-law Darla Patridge, brothers Billy and Lowell Patridge, and his sister, Beverly Russell.