Obituary for Andrew "Max" Smolinkski
Andrew Max Smolinski “Max” had a fatal accident and died shortly thereafter Sunday night, Oct. 31, 2021, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston. Max was 80.
Max was born Aug. 9, 1941, in Lewiston. His parents were Roscoe C. Smolinski and Gladys Eller Smolinski, who preceded him in death. Max had no siblings. He graduated from Clarkston High School in 1959. In 1963, he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Washington State University and in 1965 graduated from the University of Idaho College of Law with a Bachelor of Laws degree.
Max completed three years of active military duty in December 1968. During that time, he spent 16 months at Fort Lewis, Wash., in the office of the Staff Judge Advocate. He was transferred to Oahu, Hawaii, where he spent 19 months on the staff of the Commander in Chief Pacific (CINCPAC).
Max was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, Tau Chapter; Phi Alpha Law Fraternity; the Lewiston Chamber of Commerce; and North Idaho Chamber of Commerce, where he served as president in 2009. Currently, Max is a member of the Lewiston Golf & Country Club and a long-time member of Orchards Community Church.
Max married Carole Simon, of Clarkston, on Dec. 18, 1966, at Vancouver, Wash. After an extended Hawaii honeymoon (compliments of the U.S. Army), they returned to the Vancouver area, where Max worked in “the corporate world” in Portland, Ore. In 1973, he chose to leave that world and move to Kennewick where he went into business for himself, first opening a U-Cart Concrete business. At the same time, he managed the Benton-Franklin County Fair. He left the concrete business and, while remaining with the fair, he and a partner bought Able Industrial Company in Pasco. The summer of 1979, he and Carole sold their share of that business and moved to Clarkston. Max started Bitterroot Bolt & Chain Co in North Lewiston and managed it until the day of his death.
Max and Carole had no children, however Carole’s siblings — Rob and Dianne Simon, of Lewiston, Terry and Nancy Simon, of St. Paul, Minn., and Barbara Moon and the late Rick Morrison, of Tucson, Ariz., — and many Smolinski cousins constitute his loving survivors.
So those are the facts of Max’s life. Here is the real Max. He was a very intelligent man who welcomed challenges, whether they were hitting the ideal golf shot, building and running businesses, or remodeling their three homes — beginning with a dilapidated log cabin outside of Vancouver that the average person would have torn down. Not Max. But Max’s greatest challenge while living in the valley was to run a successful wholesale industrial supply business; to meet his customers’ needs to the best of his ability, even if that meant scouring the globe to find the product; and to provide a good place for his employees to work. He thoroughly enjoyed working with most of his customers and fellow workers.
Max also loved Carole, he loved their animals, he loved his church and the members of his Bible study group, he loved this valley and the surrounding area, but most important to Max was his love of his Savior Jesus Christ. He always looked forward in faith and without fear to ending this life and beginning an eternity in Paradise. That is where he now is.
Memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Merchant Funeral Home, 1000 Seventh St., Clarkston, followed by a brief graveside service at Vineland Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, send donations to Orchards Community Church Benevolence Fund, 822 Bryden Ave., Lewiston, ID 83501.
Max was born Aug. 9, 1941, in Lewiston. His parents were Roscoe C. Smolinski and Gladys Eller Smolinski, who preceded him in death. Max had no siblings. He graduated from Clarkston High School in 1959. In 1963, he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Washington State University and in 1965 graduated from the University of Idaho College of Law with a Bachelor of Laws degree.
Max completed three years of active military duty in December 1968. During that time, he spent 16 months at Fort Lewis, Wash., in the office of the Staff Judge Advocate. He was transferred to Oahu, Hawaii, where he spent 19 months on the staff of the Commander in Chief Pacific (CINCPAC).
Max was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, Tau Chapter; Phi Alpha Law Fraternity; the Lewiston Chamber of Commerce; and North Idaho Chamber of Commerce, where he served as president in 2009. Currently, Max is a member of the Lewiston Golf & Country Club and a long-time member of Orchards Community Church.
Max married Carole Simon, of Clarkston, on Dec. 18, 1966, at Vancouver, Wash. After an extended Hawaii honeymoon (compliments of the U.S. Army), they returned to the Vancouver area, where Max worked in “the corporate world” in Portland, Ore. In 1973, he chose to leave that world and move to Kennewick where he went into business for himself, first opening a U-Cart Concrete business. At the same time, he managed the Benton-Franklin County Fair. He left the concrete business and, while remaining with the fair, he and a partner bought Able Industrial Company in Pasco. The summer of 1979, he and Carole sold their share of that business and moved to Clarkston. Max started Bitterroot Bolt & Chain Co in North Lewiston and managed it until the day of his death.
Max and Carole had no children, however Carole’s siblings — Rob and Dianne Simon, of Lewiston, Terry and Nancy Simon, of St. Paul, Minn., and Barbara Moon and the late Rick Morrison, of Tucson, Ariz., — and many Smolinski cousins constitute his loving survivors.
So those are the facts of Max’s life. Here is the real Max. He was a very intelligent man who welcomed challenges, whether they were hitting the ideal golf shot, building and running businesses, or remodeling their three homes — beginning with a dilapidated log cabin outside of Vancouver that the average person would have torn down. Not Max. But Max’s greatest challenge while living in the valley was to run a successful wholesale industrial supply business; to meet his customers’ needs to the best of his ability, even if that meant scouring the globe to find the product; and to provide a good place for his employees to work. He thoroughly enjoyed working with most of his customers and fellow workers.
Max also loved Carole, he loved their animals, he loved his church and the members of his Bible study group, he loved this valley and the surrounding area, but most important to Max was his love of his Savior Jesus Christ. He always looked forward in faith and without fear to ending this life and beginning an eternity in Paradise. That is where he now is.
Memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Merchant Funeral Home, 1000 Seventh St., Clarkston, followed by a brief graveside service at Vineland Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, send donations to Orchards Community Church Benevolence Fund, 822 Bryden Ave., Lewiston, ID 83501.