Max James Morley
Max James Morley
Max James Morley was born in Anchorage, Alaska on June 18, 1942. Died March 28, 2012 in Moses Lake, Wa. Survived by wife of 45 years Sharon (Shari), son Todd, Maryland, and daughter Yani, Anchorage. His Mother, Gwendolyn J. Morley ,sister Lloydean, Sammamish, Wa, brother Bruce (wife Judy) Juneau, AK and sister, Lynn, Renton, WA. He is also survived by numerous in-laws, nieces and nephews. His father Lloyd A. Morley died in 2000.
Max had a lifelong affair with the automobile and things mechanical. His first cars were a Model A Ford and a 1920 Model T Ford roadster PU.
Max joined the US-Navy right after high school in 1960. Max was in the Navy completing training and apprenticeship as a Diesel Engine man. Max used that experience to get a Merchant Mariner's card which provided employment summers while he attended Oregon Technical Institute where he earned an Associate's Degree in Automotive Tune-up and Instrumentation (1967). He married his beautiful wife Sharon Elligsen in 1967. Max stayed on at OTI and earned a Bachelor of Technology Degree in 1969. He continued his technical education with 100's of hours per year in Automotive supplier and manufacturer technician training. He earned a MSVE from UA Juneau in 1987.
Max's first teaching job was for Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, WA. HS students were bused to the college for mechanical training. Max did this for 5 1/2 years adding in evening classes in the new BBCC/RV program in 4 stroke engines and motorcycle servicing. During this time Max and Shari adopted two beautiful children Todd and Yani Morley to raise as their own. They brought them great joy over the years.
In January of 1975 BBCC asked Max to transfer to West Germany and teach the College Automotive program to off duty USA and USAF troops. The family moved near Bitburg Germany in March 1975. They returned 2 1/2 years later and Max worked for OTCC in Olympia WA for 1 year. That same year Max was selected for a teaching position at Anchorage Community College. Max taught automotive classes there for 20 years. He also served as Department Chair for most of that time, participating in the merger of the Community Colleges into the University system.
Max retired in 1998, and in 1999 he and Shari moved back to Moses Lake to enjoy the warmer weather, shorter winters and be close to Shari's family. Max's retirement present to himself was a 1996 bright yellow Suzuki Savage big single motorcycle. He transformed the cruiser style bike into a full dress bagger and rode it as often as he could for pleasure. Max could often be seen cruising the roads in his bright yellow jacket, on his bright yellow Suzuki Savage. Max learned a little about farming, how to operate haying equipment, and helped fix and provided technical expertise for the repairs of the farm equipment. In 2009 Max joined and enjoyed the sidecar fraternity. Max and Shari have spent the last four years spending winters in San Tan Valley Arizona, where Max enjoyed riding his motor cycle with Shari in the side car. Max fought a gallant battle with his cancer for the last seven years, and was an inspiration to all the lives he touched. He was kind, warm hearted man, and will be dearly missed by his family and friends. He is survived by a loving family who will miss his great BBQ's, wordy explanations of motor cycle and automobile parts/functions, and his willingness to always lend a a helping hand. Ash disbursement will occur with family at a later date, he wished to have no service and family and friends wishing to make donations can donate to the Block-40 Scholarship in Max's Name.
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