Max D Lauridsen passed away on March 7, 2019, at the Bear Lake Memorial Skilled Nursing Facility.   

Max born on March 28, 1931 to Sylvester Thomas Lauridsen and Eva Myrtle Derricott Lauridsen and was their only child. He was born in Wardboro, Idaho, but the family soon moved to Montpelier, where Max remained throughout his life.

Max is survived by his four children: Karen Lauridsen of Salt Lake City, Utah; David Lauridsen of San Jose, California; John Lauridsen (Cindy) of Montpelier, Idaho; and Ann Marie Lauridsen Bird of Salt Lake City, Utah.  He is the grandfather of five: Levi Bird, Austin Bird, Shandra Bird, Mitch Lauridsen and Max Lauridsen.  He is the great-grandfather of two: Austin Levi Bird and Remi Bird.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Ann Reeves Lauridsen and his grandson Austin Bird.

Max was a military veteran, having served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Carpenter (DD/DDK/DDE-825), a Gearing-class destroyer, and having seen active duty in the Korean War. Throughout his life in Bear Lake, he was involved with the VFW organization and actively participated in providing military presence at the funerals of fellow veterans.   

Anyone who knew Max would know his life was centered on three things.  First, his family:  He was so proud and so loved not only his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, but also his extended family, including his two sisters-in-law, their husbands and his many nieces and nephews.  Second, his religion:  He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, serving in many callings over his life. He took the Church’s commitment to genealogy to heart, researching our family tree back many generations and providing that information for inclusion in the Church’s database. Third, his love for the Bear Lake Valley and it’s people and history:  He was an amateur local historian who was always collecting historic pictures of the valley and who loved learning a new fact or story to share.  He was a regular at the News Examiner where he would delve into the archives looking for information. 

Funeral services will be held at Montpelier First Ward on March 16 at 1pm.  A viewing will be held the night before on Friday, March 15th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Schwab-Matthews Mortuary with a viewing just prior to services and burial will be in the Montpelier Cemetery.