Max Edward Carey

Max Edward Carey, 90, passed away on April 16, 2026.

Max Edward Carey was born on December 10, 1935, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Max had a rough start in life. While in his mother’s womb, his biological father, who worked on power lines, tragically suffered a fatal electrocution. When Max was born, his newly widowed mother, already caring for two children and left without a provider, allowed her next-door neighbors, Chester and Frances Carey, an older couple with no children of their own, to adopt him when he was about a year old.

The family moved to Quincy, California shortly after Max’s birth, and he grew up there, attending Plumas County schools. He would spend his summers working with his father, swimming and fishing in the Feather River, panning for gold, and racing his car around town with his friends.

While in his senior year, Max fell in love with classmate Donna Olsen, and they got married on Thanksgiving Day in 1953. They continued their studies all the way through graduation in 1954. Right after graduation, Max and Donna moved to Pocatello, Idaho where Donna’s parents were living, and Max went to work at Garrett Freightlines as a local delivery driver.

Later that fall, Donna gave birth to their son, Michael Carey in November of 1954. However, their marriage was a brief one, and they were subsequently divorced in June of 1955.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before Max found love again when he met Flora Lee Wright, a senior at Pocatello High School. She graduated in 1956, and they were married the following August. Max was embraced by Flora’s parents, Harold and Mae Wright, and Harold and Max developed a close and lifelong relationship.

Max and Flora gave birth to their first son, Richard Edward in July of 1957. Their second son, Douglas Steven was born in August of 1960, followed by their only daughter, Catherine Ann who was born in August of 1963.

In the 1960s, Max served in the Army National Guard and enjoyed his annual Guard Camp and Weekend Drills.

Max was also an avid hunter and fisherman. He enjoyed getting out and walking the forest of Island Park, often finding success in his annual elk and deer hunts. He loved pheasant hunting, even more as well as the occasional duck or goose hunt, usually with this father-in-law Harold and some fellow Garrett drivers.

Max always had a love of the water, being a strong swimmer since he was young boy. This meant having a boat of one kind or another throughout his entire adult life. He was an excellent water skier, and a dedicated fisherman, spending as much of his free time as possible trolling the reservoirs of Southeast Idaho or wading the Blackfoot and Portneuf Rivers in pursuit of monster rainbows or cutthroat trout.

In the early 1970s, Flora and Max purchased a piece of property on Henry’s Lake outlet, where they built a summer vacation retreat. They would spend some time each spring and fall in the beauty and solitude of Henry’s Lake, fishing, relaxing, and just enjoying God’s creation. This was truly Max’s happy place, and he never felt more at home than when he was there, either fishing for brook trout, or just looking out the window at Mount Sawtelle.

Max also loved to play music. He played with several local bands over the years, mostly doing weekend dance gigs. Later, he found his niche as a solo act, playing deejay for dances at the Senior Center, where he would spin tunes and strum along with his guitar, making for a very enjoyable evening for all.

Max’s warm, outgoing personality meant that he made friends everywhere he went. He loved to strike up conversations with complete strangers and would remember their names if he ever happened to run into them down the road. It was rare excursion where he wouldn’t run into someone he knew.

Max worked for Garrett for nearly three decades, until the company closed for good in 1985. He then took early retirement, but continued exploring other avenues of work, including joining the Coast Guard, working as a guard at the local prison, and a few other odd jobs, until he finally decided to fully retire and just pursue his hobbies.

In 1998, Flora and Max moved to a newer home in Chubbuck. Max set up his music studio in the basement where he would spend hours playing along to the oldies and putting together his extensive playlists of country hits. He liked to work in the yard, and he and Flora made their backyard and covered deck a restful place for conversation.

Tragically, Flora began having memory issues and was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in 2018. As her disease progressed, it became very challenging for her family, and especially so for Max. However, he loved her deeply and could not bring himself to remove her from her home, so he faithfully cared for her the best he could until his final day. On April 18, 2026, Max died at the age of 90, having loved his Flora for a full 70 wonderful years.

Max was preceded in death by granddaughters Jennifer Lynne Carey, Melanie Ann Carey, and Micah Nicole Story, and is survived by sons Michael Carey, Richard (Patricia) Carey and Douglas (Penny), his daughter Catherine (Curtis) Story, 12 grandchildren, and 20 greatgrandchildren.

We will all treasure his memory and look forward to being reunited with him someday in glory.

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