Max Dee Dealy

Max Dee Dealy, 68, of Garden City, ID, entered into eternal rest at St. Lukes Boise Hospital on 16 June 2019, after a lengthy, courageous battle with cancer.

     Max entered into this world 18 June 1950, the 11th of 17 children born to Robert Merl Dealy and Wilda Mary Chaffin Dealy.

     The family lived in various places in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.  Max attended schools in the Boise area.  He was always quite a storyteller, oftentimes frightening his sisters with his ghost stories, usually told in a dark, scary basement or woodshed.

     He met the love of his life, Sandra Lee Arner on a blind double date.  They were married 13 November 1969, and eventually welcomed three beautiful children into their happy home, Teresa in 1971, Bonnie in 1974, and Orvel in 1978.

     Max was a generous individual and would always be there to help when the need occurred, sometimes even literally giving the shirt off his back.  He was always there to listen, counsel, and advise.  He was there also,  to teach skills to anyone willing to learn.  He was always eager to share his skills and knowledge.  He set a good example and lived up to the role of a father to his grandchildren when needed, one told me “He meant a lot to me, he was like a father to me”.  “I confided in him a lot”.  “He surmised for me, what it takes to be a man”.  He was truly a giving person.

     He was an avid gardener, growing mint, garlic, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, and various other vegetables and fruit, and using the things he grew in his culinary expertise.  He also grew many flowers and plants.

     He loved family gatherings, playing cards and games, singing, and having a good time.  His love for country music was quite obvious.  Among the songs he favored were :  “Three Wooden Crosses”, by Randy Travis, “Go Rest High On That Mountain”, by Vince Gill, “When I Get Where I'm Going”, by Brad Paisley, and numerous others.  “This I Promise You”, by Nsync, held a special place in his heart, it was played at his son, Orvels' funeral.  He, himself, sang “The Dance”, by Garth Brooks at that funeral.

     His love for the mountains permeated his life, he would escape to there as often as he could possibly get away with...he even asked to be taken there last berry season, he knew he wouldn't be able to help pick, but he wanted to go and show us where the good ones were, however, his health would not allow it and he was very disappointed.  When he went to the mountains, he enjoyed the peace, quiet solitude, and communion with God ( he said the mountains were his church ).  He picked huckleberries, fished, cut firewood, hunted with his son and grandsons, camped with his family, and rode horses.

     He was very creative and enjoyed reclaiming wood pallets, ( among other things ).  Many of us have wishing wells, flower pot holders, end tables, coffee tables, benchs, dressers, you name it.  All were crafted lovingly by his hands.

     He enjoyed cooking, using a lot of his mothers' recipes, and creating some of his own.  He experimented with his cooking abilities and made some interesting, delicious concoctions.  He was always making fudge, divinity, marshmallows, p-nut brittle, cookies, bread, cinnamon rolls, potato rolls, fantastic varieties of jerky, soups, casseroles, cabbage rolls, and many, many other dishes, including a mean, very tasty pecan pie.

     He also enjoyed crocheting, a skill he taught himself while convalescing after a neck surgery.  He made many afghans, one of which is on display in the entry.  He also tried his hand, successfully, at sewing.

     His family has been sharing numerous memories of times they shared with him.  Camping, fishing, hunting, playing in the rivers, lakes, and streams, ( some near disasters too, of which, Max quickly came to the rescue ), picking huckleberries and other wild growing delicacies, and the delicious foods he created from them, his love of cooking the foods they so much enjoyed, ( and always, love was the main ingredient ).  They remember BBQs every Fathers' Day and many times in between, his dedication and enthusiasm for the yearly family reunion of the whole family, ( a couple times he even voluntarily funded the biggest part of the cost, to be sure it was possible to have it ).  They remember the adventures involved in weekly Saturday outings into the mountains to cut and gather firewood, of times going shopping and especially the time they took him to buy his NES gaming console and games, how it thrilled his heart, the smile on his face was priceless and still vividly remembered.

     The younger grandchildren and great grandchildren remember grandpa taking them for rides on his scooter, and always, always, lots of hugs, kisses, and smiles, with lots of love.

     By many interpretations, Max was a tradesman, he was a jack of all trades, master of none (he actually mastered many ).  He was a skilled, ambitious, hard working individual, working at various trades throughout his life.  He was in the Job Corps in Utah the summer of 1968.  He worked at Idaho Candy, Al Holl Tire, he was a butcher at the Chuckwagon Market on Latah in Boise ID,.  He did farm work for a time and raised and cared for cattle and horses.  Most recently, he was the maintenance overseer for Bruce Dunkleys' Mobil Home Park in Garden City, ID

     He was preceded in death by : A brother, Harry in 1942, Two brothers, Earl & Beryl in 1944, his father, Robert in 1965, A sister, Debra, in 1972, his son, Orvel in 2000, A sister, Donna in 2003, A brother, Mervin in 2008, his mother, Wilda, in 2010, and his great granddaughter, Avriel in 2017.

     He is survived by : his wife Sandra, Two lovely daughters, Teresa West in Boise, ID, and Bonnie Cheney in Caldwell, ID,...Eight grandsons: Corey ( Brent ) Parker, in Caldwell, ID, Matthew Parker,  Kaedon Dealy , Auston Dealy , Tacoma Dealy, Nathan Armfield, and Leland Armfield, all in Boise, ID, and Thomas Dealy, in Caldwell, ID Five granddaughters: Lisa Parker, Caitlyn Parker, and Tyranny Dealy, all in Boise, ID, Jenny Cheney and Julliette Cheney, both in Caldwell, ID,Two great grandsons: Mordechai Parker, and Kyle Parker, Three great granddaughters: Daniella Parker, Skyler Balli, and Wren Parker. Four brothers: Dee ( Orval ), in Kent, WA., Ken, in Mt Home, ID., Ron, in Boise, ID.,and Tom, in Nampa, ID., Six sisters: Shirley Skow, in the Payette/Weiser ID. Area, Mary Armfield, and Lois Wood,  in Boise, ID., Carol Steele, in Meridian, ID., Judy Breier in Council, ID, and Jenine Finch in Eagle, ID, an uncle and aunt, Walter & Treola Smith, in Boise, ID, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

     He was a loving son, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend.  He is loved by many and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

     For not, do but we, know what that epitaph meant to Max or the many people sitting here today.  We all knew him in a special way that was unique to all of us; how does one go about honoring a man who'd give you the clothes off his back to help.  We've lost a great, dear, kind, generous and benevolent soul, for one who showed such tender mercies to all he met, even those he disliked.  We must strive to remember the spirit that Max always carried with him even up to the bitter end; he always wore a smile and put on a brave face.  For when he departed, he took a piece of all of us with him so he could hand it back to us one day.  Forevermore is how long I and everyone else will miss you, for a lifetime of love and caring you gave us all, we love you sweetly, deeply, and tenderly.  May you be at peace.