Max Hurdle, 90, of Spencer, passed away on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at St. Luke Lutheran Home in Spencer.
A memorial service was held on Monday, January 30, 2023, at the First Christian Church in Spencer, Iowa. A celebration of life service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of the Robinson Funeral Home in Spirit Lake, formerly the Schuchert-Lentz Funeral Home. Online condolences may be left at www.spiritlakefuneralhome.com
Max Albert Hurdle, the son of Floyd and Verla (Dunn) Hurdle, was born in Clarinda, Iowa on February 19, 1932. Max passed away peacefully on January 26, 2023.
He grew up in Clarinda, Iowa, and graduated from Clarinda High School. He married Phyllis Anne Krouch on April 5, 1953. Max and Phyllis attended school and church together in Clarinda and began dating in their senior year of high school. They were married for sixty-nine years.
Max earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy at the University of Iowa in 1954. Early in his career, Max and Phyllis owned Page Pharmacy, Alan Drug and Hurdle Drug in Waterloo, Iowa. He later worked at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. Max also earned his real estate license and sold properties for 15 years in the Des Moines area. Max and Phyllis then relocated to Okoboji, where he served as a pharmacist at Spencer Hospital before retiring and joining Pharmacists on the Go, in which he worked for pharmacies across Iowa.
Max enjoyed cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes, fishing with family, and building and flying radio controlled airplanes. He was an active member of the First Christian Church where he enjoyed singing in the choir and serving in multiple ministries. Later in life he enjoyed sitting on the porch and enjoying the wildlife. He was very strong in his faith and loved his Lord and Savior.
Max received numerous awards and recognition for the 50+ years of service to patients and the profession of pharmacy. Max was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 13 years old. He lived courageously for 78 more years and was one of only a few individuals to survive that long with the disease.
Max is survived by his wife, Phyllis, and their three children: Jeff Hurdle (Pam) of Spirit Lake, IA;Linda (Tom) Moore of Santa Fe, NM;Heidi (Keith) Roach of Carmel, IN;seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Joslin Diabetes Center or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.