Maxson (Max) S. Clarke, 86, of Bellbrook, Ohio passed away peacefully after a short illness at Ohio’s Hospice on April 20, 2026, surrounded by family.

Max was born on January 23, 1940 in Lockport, NY. He attended Kenmore Schools and graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree from Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY. After graduating, he enlisted in the Army and served in Germany for 2 years as a Sergeant working at the Army Security Agency at the very beginning of the Vietnam war breaking Eastern Bloc military codes. Upon return to the United States, Max married the love of his life, Gail Edwards, and was married for 60 years. They had two sons, David (Sue) and Scott (Linda).

His career started in Buffalo, NY where he worked for 22 years at The Buffalo Forge Company in the air handling industry. Max was deeply involved in the AMCA and ASHRAE organizations and was instrumental in developing international standards for the air handling industry, ones still being used today. He chaired many committees and wrote numerous reports regarding sound, aerodynamics, and vibration testing. After leaving Buffalo Forge Company in 1987, Max worked for several smaller companies developing their engineering departments. New engineering concepts, such as modal analysis, finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics, and sound intensity were developed for use in fan design. New testing procedures would be enhanced by computer data acquisition and new stress testing techniques were developed under his direction. Following those employment opportunities, he decided to become an independent contractor working on various projects around the country. He retired from the industry in 2008.

In October 2006, Max received an Outstanding Achievement Award from AMCA for his profound expertise, influence, and impact on the industrial fan industry. This award has only been given 4 times. He was known in the industry as “The Expert of the Experts” and was one of the top 5 engineers in the air handling industry.

If you were to look up Engineer in the dictionary, you could have easily seen a picture of him. Engineering concepts permeated throughout his entire life – work, family, and church. Everything was thoroughly planned ahead of time with infinite detail. He was a consummate engineer through and through.

One of Max’s desires was to do things that benefit others. Throughout his career, he was able to use his position of authority to extend help and assistance to co-workers who were loyal and deserving who might have been caught in a web of problems not of their own fault. This extended from issuing paid time off for a father whose child was dying of cancer, to allowing a subordinate to pursue an advanced engineering degree using some time during the workday for studies and allowing them to make up the time on weekends or through work on special projects. The examples of his generosity and concern for others are too numerous to mention.

Max loved to travel with his family in their camper van having visited 49 states (you couldn’t drive to Hawaii). Among his favorite places were the Canadian Rockies and most everything from the Rockies to the west coast. He loved his two dogs, Duchess and Lucky. Wood working was a hobby, and he made various pieces of furniture for St. Francis Catholic church. One of his passions was writing, including life stories and memoirs. Cars were another passion, where he did most of his own mechanic work and was even an amateur race car driver at a local track in his “pre-kid” years. After retiring and settling down in Bellbrook, he started as an altar server at St. Francis Catholic Church, and as a true engineer, evolved into the server scheduler where he wrote server procedures and standards for masses.

Everything he did in life was done to the best of his ability and if it wasn’t done right the first time, it was done repeatedly until it was. His work ethic had no bounds.

Many of his skills and traits were successfully passed on to his two sons. Family values, community impact, and faith were very important to him, and those who were around him knew what he stood for. Many times, he attributed his successful marriage to the ability to communicate with his wife.

Max was an honest, good, faithful husband and father, who was always concerned for his family. His desire for the best for his family could sometimes come across as sounding like a lecture, but it was always delivered with life experience and wisdom and in a way to try and keep his family’s best interest in mind.

Max is survived by his loving wife, Gail, his two children, David and Scott, his two daughters-in-law, Sue and Linda, and three grandchildren, Justin, Alanna, and Rachel.

In lieu of flowers, the family would request donations be made to Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church, on Wilmington Pike, Centerville on Thursday, April 23rd, at 11:00 AM.

Visitation will be at the same location preceding Mass at 10:00 AM.

WESTBROCK FUNERAL HOME-BIGGER RD is serving the family.