Max Van Ness Wallentine passed away at home on February 21, 2026, from incidents due to age. He was born April 19, 1931, at Paris, ID, to Hattie Leola Booth and Van Ness Davis Wallentine as the eldest of 7 children and was reared on the family beef cattle ranch. After graduating from Fielding High School in Paris, ID, he served in the Eastern States Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He married Alma Gay Winters of Montpelier, ID, on February 20, 1953, in the Logan Temple. He graduated from Utah State University in 1955, was commissioned as an officer and served on active duty in the U. S. Army from 1956-58. He completed MS and PhD degrees in Animal Science at Cornell University in 1956 and 1960. They are the parents of 9 children: Shari Thurlow (Darrell) Lindon, UT; Sandra Longenecker (Tom) American Fork, UT; Patricia Bradley (Paul), Jill Swenson (Lyle), all of Salem, UT; Jeffrey Wallentine (Chari) Elk Ridge, UT; Kris Money (Brent) Palmyra, UT; Scott Wallentine (Karla) Springfield, MO; Steven Wallentine (Heather) Elk Ridge, UT; Jared Wallentine (Kimberly) Gilbert, AZ. Also surviving are 45 grandchildren, 112 great-grandchildren, and 3 brothers (Robert, Reed, and Eric). He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Gay; his parents; 2 sisters, Norine and Jean; and 2 brothers, Glen Craig and C. Booth.
Max and Gay served a senior mission (1998-99) in the Church Senior Missionary Department. He served as bishop of 3 wards, on several high councils, and in the original Salem Utah Stake Presidency. He was a dedicated home teacher along with numerous other Church callings. He served with Gay for over 15 years as Provo Temple ordinance workers. He was a good provider for his family and taught them the value of dependability, honesty, and hard work. A motto in his later life was, “You can pretend to care but you cannot pretend to show up.”
As a professional educator he was a teacher, published researcher, administrator, and consultant in Animal and Meat Science at Cornell, Purdue, and Brigham Young Universities. He served terms as associate dean, department chair, and for 27 years was Director of the BYU Agriculture Station, including managing its research and teaching farms/facilities. At the University’s request in 1968, he moved his family to the BYU Farm in Spanish Fork. They sold their Provo home and built their current home. He retired from the Animal Science Department at BYU in 1996. He was instrumental in the formation of the Ezra Taft Benson Agriculture and Food Institute. He enjoyed his family, sheep, Christmas tree farm, gardening, photography, family history, BYU sports, and world traveling. He served his family, neighbors, and friends in many ways including water manager for Sprinkle Green Associates and Bradford Acres Water Association. He enjoyed being “Grandpa fix-it” for his children and grandchildren and “Grampa Oldness” for great-grandchildren. He has supported academia and the medical profession with children working in those areas. He is also a cancer survivor since 1996.
The family wishes to express heartfelt gratitude for wonderful and watchful neighbors and friends, and the attentive and loving care offered by his nurses, Julia Safranova, Tritney Dansie, and the hospice caregivers from Aspen Ridge Home Health and Hospice.
Memorial services will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at 11am, with viewing prior from 9:45-10:45am at the Salem Utah Stake Center, 470 East Salem Canal Road, Salem, UT. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Church Perpetual Education Fund would be appreciated.
7 Condolences for Max VanNess Wallentine
Condolences(7)
Richard Riddle says
February 23, 2026 at 8:29 pmWilma and I will greatly miss Max. He was a wonderful friend!
Alison Watkins Spencer says
February 24, 2026 at 4:46 pmI’m sending condolences from my mom Joan Watkins..She worked with Jeff in the orthopedic office in payson. She was the og of the office. Anyway, I’m sure you’ve heard she’s not well. We are sorry for your loss and we are hoping you are feeling peace at this difficult time. Sending you all love. Thanks Jeff, for being a great doctor to work with!!!
Lisa Anderson says
February 27, 2026 at 5:23 pmWell, his angel helicopter arrived, and I’m sure it was g💖Gay who flying it !!
Since I didn’t know a grandfather of my own, I decided to adopt Max. He was everything. a grandfather would be . A powerful leader. Hed tell stories , had a wonderful sense of humor, said it like it was., had a quick wit:) I enjoyed the visits we had with them. laughing with he and Gay . His true example of the power of Jesus Christ was heard and seen through his life as well as his testimony he would bear. He was a spiritual strength to me many times without him, probably knowing it. I’ve enjoyed being neighbors to Max and Gay for 23 years and I dearly love them both. We will miss you Max . Your Legacy and devotion to keep us running smoothlyhere on the Bradford Acres Water Association will always be remembered, as well as the most wonderful neighbors and friends!! . All our love and blessings to the family. At this time of grief . ❤️🙏🏼
Shawny Lee says
February 28, 2026 at 5:08 pmWhat legacy both Max and Gay left us! They were essentially the first people I met upon arriving in Salem 43 years ago. I’ve been blessed all these years by their love, kindness and most of all unwavering testimony of Jesus Christ and His Restored Gospel. The sound of Max’s powerful voice will remain in my mind as He continually and without hesitation bore his soul to all of us regarding his faith; and Gay was the angel always near him, unfailingly loving, generous and kind, selflessly serving in every way she possibly could. I will always consider Max and Gay my “other” set of parents because of their example to me. Truly, they both had a strong steadying effect on my life all these years. Yes, they will be missed but never forgotten, and their influence upon all that knew them will go on and on. Thank you for sharing your beloved parents with us. I truly love them and celebrate them today.
Debbie Swenson says
March 1, 2026 at 4:39 pmWe are so sad we missed this!! Moved into the West Stake and don’t FB often. We loved your parents. They have been a meaningful part of our lives here in Salem.
Brad Jex says
March 5, 2026 at 5:32 amTo the Wallentine family so sorry for your loss of your Dad . I have a lot of good memories of your family clear back when you were in the ninth ward and when our ward was put in the Salem Stake many years ago. I sure admired your mom and dad and the great example they were for our family.
Kathleen Farr (Steven) says
March 5, 2026 at 4:59 pmI was out of town the date of the funeral. Steve loved working with your father, in class at BYU and at the Spanish Fork Farm as agent for Strawberry Highline Canal. His family blessed our lives with medical service and we are grateful. We are grateful for the way he lived his life.
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