Max D Crittenden

Max D. Crittenden peacefully transitioned from this life on Saturday, May 9, 2020, at his home in Abilene, Texas. Max was born May 8, 1927, in Iowa City, Iowa. He was raised by Maude and Stephen Crittenden. Max was a member of the Class of 1944 of Clarence (Iowa) High School.
Although he could claim significant accomplishments in the areas of international law, music, and post-war relief, Max was best known and most loved for his commitment to God and his family. Over the final 40 years of his life, he devoted himself to studying the Bible, journaling his Spirit-led insights almost daily.

Max joined the United States Navy and served in WWII, attaining the rank of Seaman second class while serving on several ships in the Pacific Theater of the war. He was present as a member of the USS Flusser (DD-368) at the surrender of Japan, specifically at the Imperial Japanese Navy Base at Sasebo.

He graduated from Cornell (Iowa) College, majoring in economics, in 1950. Upon graduation, he again served in the U.S. Navy as a Petty Officer during the Korean Conflict. After graduating from law school at the University of Washington in 1956, Max settled in Seattle, married Virginia Tancred, and they adopted a daughter, Amy.

In 1979, Max moved to Hawaii, where he lived for 10 years. During those years Max committed his life to Jesus as his Savior. Soon after, he joined Youth With a Mission (YWAM) and was the organization’s International Legal Counsel. He was involved in several international legal proceedings, representing YWAM personnel in the late 1980s.

Max moved to Abilene and, in 1994, Virginia passed away. The next year, Max married Liz Murphy and adopted her son, Jedidiah.

Max continued to have a passion for the Lord and a desire to share the Gospel overseas. This passion led him to join several mission teams. He eventually lived in Holland and Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) as a full-time missionary. He and Liz led YWAM Holland’s first Relief and Development Discipleship Training School, as well as outreaches to India and involvement in the Frontier Missions Department. When asked by YWAM to join a team to help displaced peoples in BiH, Max accepted, compelled by the needs of the post-war country and his desire to spread mercy and peace. Max, Liz, and Jedidiah moved to Zenica, BiH, in 1998. They served in that city for 16 years.

In 2016, Max and Liz returned to Abilene. Although back in the United States, Max desired, above all, to keep serving God’s Kingdom. This led Max to join Freedom Fellowship, a ministry of Highland Church of Christ, which had strongly supported Max’s family during their years overseas.
Max was loved and will be missed by many around the globe. He is remembered as a gentle servant, having volunteered at a food pantry and sung to patients at Hendrick Hospice as recently as December, 2019, at age 92. Max was a man of prayer and worship until the end of his life.

Max was preceded in death by his parents and several siblings. He is survived by his wife Liz, daughter Amy (and husband Jeff McKissick), son Jedidiah (and wife Kathleen), sister Carol Davis, brothers Tom and Mike, and 10 grandchildren.

There will be no services at this time due to restrictions on assemblies. A service with military honors will take place during the summer.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in the name of Max Crittenden may be made to the following organizations:
1) Highland Food Pantry
2) Freedom Fellowship
*Checks to either of these may be made out to “Highland Church of Christ” and mailed to Highland Church of Christ, 425 Highland Ave., Abilene, TX 79605. Be sure to put the name of the specific ministry on the memo line. You may also give online at highlandchurch.org/give.
3) Bosnian Church Planting Ministry (a continuation of the Zenica Church Planting ministry in which Max and Liz participated from 1998-2016).
*Checks may be made out to “Illyricum” and mailed to Illyricum, 8329 South Independence Circle, Unit 102, Littleton, CO 80128.