Maxen E. "Max" Bachler Obituary (1921

MAXEN ELVIS BACHLER, the son of William Alfred and Carrie Alfa (Boldra) Bachler, was born June 3, 1921 on a farm near Thurman, Iowa. He attended school at Tabor, Iowa. Following school, Max worked as a farm laborer until 1941 when he moved to Cherokee, Iowa to work at the State Hospital. In 1942, Max enlisted in the U. S. Army and served 22 months during World War II as a battlefield medic in Germany under Generals Patton and Patch. He received four Bronze Battle Stars and other commendations. Returning to Iowa, Max received a G. I. Loan to become a licensed plumber. Max and Loeita Mae Perkins were married on June 1, 1946 at Hiawatha, Kansas. Their marriage was blessed with a daughter, Carrie Jo. The family lived in the Iowa towns of Villisca, Glenwood, Silver City, Hastings, Thurman and Neligh, Nebraska. Max attended plumbing school in Kansas City and served his apprenticeship in Neligh. Returning to Southwest Iowa, Max was a self-employed plumber and in 1954, began a 27 year career working as a plumber at the Glenwood State Hospital School. Max and Loeita moved to Hastings in 1965 and later to Thurman in 1986. Max retired in 1982. Max and Loeita were active members of the Thurman United Methodist Church and the Thurman Betterment Club. Max was a charter member of the Tabor V.F.W. Post No. 7064. He enjoyed camping, fishing, and tinkering. He could fix anything with bailing wire and a pair of pliers. Max always had fond memories of his military service. Loeita and Max had been married 51 years when Loeita passed away on April 6, 1998. Following her death, Max continued to live in Thurman and remained active in the community. On December 26, 1998, Max and Stella Marie (Branson) Carpenter were united in marriage at the Thurman United Methodist Church. They made their home in Thurman and in 2005 moved to Farragut, Iowa. They had been married nine years when Max passed away at the Shenandoah Memorial Hospital on July 7, 2008 at the age of 87 years, 1 month, and 4 days. Max was preceded in death by his parents; wife Loeita, and sister Dorothy Fulton. Max is survived by his wife Stella Bachler of Farragut, Iowa; daughter Carrie Jo Brown and husband Richard; grandsons, Jimmi Jon Brown and wife Rose, and Ryan Stephen Brown and fiancA(c) Tammy Thiles, all of Council Bluffs, Iowa; four great grandchildren; sister Lea Lawson of Council Bluffs; stepsons, Dennis Carpenter and wife Darlene of Pleasant Valley, Missouri, Steve Carpenter and wife Carol of Farragut, Donnis Carpenter and wife Donna of Shenandoah, Iowa, and David Carpenter and wife Mary of Kansas City, Missouri; 10 step grandchildren; 15 step great grandchildren; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; other relatives and friends.