Max and Lisbeth were two of the greatest people my wife and I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. We met at the Industrial Home for Youth and spent 4 years working together with the troubled youth there. They were like grandparents to many youth in that facility over the years. Heaven is now a sweeter place. Tim and Rose Bolyard

I first met Max several years back when he was representing a company in Texas. My first impression was that we probably would not see eye to eye on a lot of our mutual interest ( energy ). I never was so wrong. The more time I spent with him also meeting and getting to know Lisbeth, I developed great respect and a wonderful friend. Max and I spent a lot of time in the field together, but I most remember he and I sharing many dinners at our favorite little steak house upon his arrival and sharing hours of information over dinners, as it pertained to geology, his passion. Max also introduced me to a friend of his that has made a wonderful impression in my life. I guess this will be a lesson learned, as they say you can't judge a book by it's cover, never in all my years was that a more true statement. I'm a better man for getting the opportunity to know and share time with Max. My sincere condolences.

Stephen and Cynthia Ford

We are so sorry that Max now left us after the untimely end of Lisbeth. We kew both and their family since the early 1960, then in Libya, and spent very many good hours together. Lisbeth was such an artist in mini-painting of china! that she deserves memory of the highest kind. Max was a devoted petroleum geologist, and an exemplary father. Good bye both! Helga and Chris Pratsch

I first met your father Max in 1986. He came in to our office for chiropractic & massage care. It was my first full winter in Colorado and I was constantly getting sick. Max suggested I come to his house to take a sauna with his wife Lisbeth. I thought this was strange. But shortly after Lisbeth came in as a patient and she talked me into it. Every Monday night from fall to spring I took a sauna with your mom and we became the best of friends. She opened up the idea of reading the Bible daily (which I do to this day) and I introduced her to my church which both Max & Lisbeth not only joined but became very involved. Max with Gideon's & prison ministry and Lisbeth with Stephen's ministry. We solved the worlds problems sitting in our bathrooms after those saunas. I have a priceless hand painted China service for 12 along with many Easter eggs a clock. In fact there's evidence of your wonderful mom in every room of my house. I think of both of them every time I see a wildflower.

To the family and friends of Max Sommer, I am sorry for your loss.  He was a great friend of my wife and I who served with Max and Lisbeth at the SE church in Aurora Colorado, but also a close friend of ours. I am attaching this note and perhaps the minister there or others might be willing to share a bit of it with those present at the celebration if they wish to do so. Again thanks for emailing us. Love, Larry and Sheila WISHARD Max Sommer, one of most amazing people I have ever met. I went to my computer about 10.20pm ,4.6.17, and read for the first time of Max’s death.  I had not spoken to Max in about a year.  I knew he had moved to Grand Junction and that he had some health problems. I first met max in about 1984 or 1985 when he and a group of friends from Castle Rock were going through some hard times due to a church transition and they needed some encouragement and wanted to help a church in the Denver suburbs.  The group chose to help was  SE church of Christ.   The group had started a new congregation on the first Sunday in June of 1981.  Sheila and our family had moved there to help with the work in 1983.  After a couple or three years were glad to have some additional people from Castle Rock to come to help us.  Sommers, Wassenars, Howards and some others came to be with us.   About 1988 we were struggling to get our first building built.  Max and Lisbeth were ready to help us in any way they could.  Max became the building committee chairman.  He pushed us to all give generously by his example giving  both time and money.  He was an oil man who had many years of walking life as an adventure.  This was a spiritual adventure.  Max and Lisbeth were ready to teach and comfort and encourage people in any way they could. We had a group of mature men who met for fellowship, Bible study and encouragement who met on Thursday and noon and each Thursday for probably 15 years I had lunch on Thursday with Max and some other men.   When Max and Lisbeth moved from Castle Rock to Virginia they came back to our area and Max rejoined our Thursday men’s group.  He was a great supporter of any attempt to teach people about the love of God.    I once had a man from “Safe Habor” men’s recovery group to speak to our men’s group and Max immediately began teaching on Tuesday evening to this group of men who had been homeless and were in a recovery and job training program.  At times I would join him in teaching this group.   Max also taught in prisons and juvenile detention centers in Colorado and Virginia.  He told me he always loved to start with the story of the prodigal son story Jesus taught recorded in Luke 15.   He said regardless of their age the men always loved this story.  Max had an excellent Education  and Excellent mind.  As the obituary tells us he received a Phd. In Geology.  He had mapped Greenland for his Doctoral work.  He had mapped Libya for oil.  He moved to America with Mobil I believe, but he worked for many companies, but had worked with small companies and his own company at times.  He knew that risk was a part of being in the oil business.  He had fire and zeal for the oil business and was a tremendous success, but there were also dry holes as well.   When Max was in his fifties he started listening to a teacher by the name of Neilson on the radio.  The Radio Bible hour.  He told me about stopping by a park on the way to work or home from work from the something on the radio and he had a spiritual encounter with Jesus through prayer and confession.  He was strengthened to seek further knowledge and community with Christians.  He and Lisbeth and Peter started to look for a church that taught the Bible.  He came to the Castle Rock church of Christ.  He said he didn’t know for six months who the “Pastor” was because all the people were so busy leading the church in prayers and lessons and he thought this was great. He and Lisbeth and Peter became a part of the congregation and for many years worked there and then S

Max  was a great guy..Loved his stories of finding Oil .And his adventures.

Max, who once was blind spiritually (he was an atheist) but he found the saving grace of our Lord Jesus and Max made Him the Lord of his life.  He was VERY active with the Gideons and did his best to distribute bibles and raise funds to help purchase and distribute those bibles all over the world.  He was a very precious man, who we loved very dearly and his Lizbeth too.   If only there were more men like Max we Christians could be a force for Jesus throughout the world.  Charlie and Kevin Burress

Max was like a big brother to me ever since we grew up together at Edisonstrasse in Basel with Dadame and Aetti in the forties and fifties and later when or paths crossed again in the USA: Santa Fe, NM, Parker,CO in the eighties and most recently in Leadville and Grand Junction with Peter and Frances. 
With gratitude I'll always remember the wonderful excursions through the desert with his burning passion for creation. 

Together with my old friend Lore Dürr (94) a childhood friend of Lisbeth and later of Max as well, I want to express my deepest condolences and sympathy to you Peter and Frances,  Andy and Jürg and your families.

Eliane Flach, 
Riehen

Max and Lisbet were inspirational, dedicated and loving couple. They became a very important part of our family from the day we met.
Over the years, our joys and family times with the Sommer's were indescribable. May they rest in peace. Their memory will always be in our hearts. We will miss Max!
Our Warmest Condolences, Deepest Sympathy goes to Sommer's sons and their family.
Adalet Ratliff & family.

Max was a member of Gideons International,
a Christian business and professional Association, which Max exemplified. The past few years as a member of the Collegiate Range Gideon Camp, Max was an inspiration and a doer. He was dedicated to sharing God's Word and love with others. 
May God's love, peace and comfort be with his family and friends; You are in our thoughts and prayers. (Collegiate Range Camp members). Les Stencel, President

Thank you Bob for digging up this great picture from over 50 years ago!

Max and Lizbeth were one of the first supporters of our Alpha Class at Parker Evangelical Presbyterian Church.  Talking to those that needed support and sharing the love of Christ with those most in need.  He loved representing the Gideon's and talked about placing Bibles into the hands of those who needed them.
Even though it has been some time since they moved from our area, I will remember their service to the Lord

B. Don Daniel
Parker, CO

OBITUARY

Max P Sommer

June 29, 1931 – March 30, 2017

Callahan-Edfast Mortuary & Crematory

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