Max Rolf

The journey is complete. After a very long and courageous battle with cancer, Max Rolf passed into the loving arms of his Savior on Monday, August 31 at his home in Lufkin, Texas. Max was born on October 5, 1937 in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. He was a devout Christian and was a faithful member of Carpenter’s Way Baptist Church in Lufkin. Because of his faith in Jesus Christ and his long relationship with the Lord, his family and friends find peace in his passing.

Services will be at Carpenter’s Way Baptist Church on Saturday, September 5, at 3:00 p.m. with visitation before the service from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the church with Pastor Mark Wilke and Reverend Kevin Roy officiating. Interment will follow at the Garden of Memories Memorial Park following the service.

Max Rolf graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in 1955 where he was first chair trombone in the band. He began his work career in the banking business in Dallas and later entered the U.S. Army in 1957. He served our country for three years in Chinon, France in the engineering department in finance and accounting. Upon his discharge from the Army he attended mortuary school at the Dallas Gupton Jones Institute of Mortuary Science and became a licensed funeral director. He worked in the funeral industry for eighteen years and owned a funeral home in Clarksville, Texas. In 1974 Max moved to Lufkin where he met Sue, the love of his life, and they were married on October 11, 1975. They lived in Dallas from 1978-1980 where Max was the Supervisor of the Anatomy Labs at Southwestern Medical School. He began the Willed Body Program at the medical school at that time. After returning to Lufkin in 1980 Max owned Lufkin Memorials Monument Company until 1993. He sold the company and it became East Texas Monument Company where he has worked from 1993 to the present. He also owned what he jokingly called his “dating company”, but it was a business where he went into cemeteries all over Texas and sandblasted final dates of death on monuments. He loved getting out in his truck and spending time in nature while doing this work.

Max Rolf was truly a monumental man. He was an unselfish man of honor, and he had an incredible work ethic. One of his many spiritual gifts was giving. He enjoyed cooking for retreats and church events at Carpenter’s Way. He loved going on short term church mission trips with his wife to the Amazon River where it thrilled him to give out fish hooks and fishing line to the men there on the river. Max helped many people throughout his lifetime. He was very faithful to remember his Compassion International child, Ferdinand Toya, from Kenya. Max loved to travel. Some of the highlights of his life include a very meaningful trip to Israel where he had the experience of walking where Jesus walked, a 35th anniversary trip to New York City, trips to Brazil, Mexico, Annapolis, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and most recently a trip to Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving 2014.

Left behind to cherish Max’s memory include his wife of almost forty years, Sue Barber Rolf; daughter, Stephanie Rolf Kitchens and granddaughters, Gabby Kitchens and Cassie Kitchens from St. Peters, Missouri; daughter, Andrea Rolf Gesse and son-in-law, Kurt Gesse, and grandsons, Reed Gesse and Luke Gesse from Tyler, Texas; son, John Rolf and daughter-in-law, Jessica Hannabas Rolf and grandsons, Dean Rolf and Drew Rolf from Mechanicsburg, PA; son, Benjamin Rolf and daughter-in-law, Katherine Goodwin Rolf, and grandsons, Carter Rolf and Max Rolf from Fort Worth, Texas. Other survivors include his brother, Clyde Rolf and sister-in-law, Helen Rolf from Texarkana, Texas; sister, Betty Rolf Stephens and brother-in-law, Tommy Stephens from Ft. Worth, Texas; sister, JoAnn Coffman Livengood and brother-in-law, John Livengood from Boyd, Texas; and also his beloved nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his father, Henry Jess Rolf; mother, Eddie Mable Rolf, and brother, George Rolf.

Pallbearers will be Gary Clos, Philip Goodwin, Robert Grimes, Don Hannabas, Steve Hicks, Cecil Jackson, Donald McAdams, Thomas Moore, Jim Riggs, Doug Russell, Tom Selman, and Lawrence “Sparky” Sparks.

Memorials are prayerfully requested for Spirit Led Educational Ministries (SLEM) in Kampala, Uganda. Please send checks payable to Tim Carson c/o Wanda Daniels, 1768 Battery Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40509. Donations can also be made to Carpenter’s Way Church, Missions Fund, 400 N. John Redditt Drive, Lufkin, Texas 75904.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.
Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.