On Sunday, October 8, Max lost his long battle with COPD and passed away peacefully at home. He had been in hospice care for less than three weeks. He was born in Patterson, NJ on June 5, 1942,(during the Battle of Midway, he always playfully added, when asked for his birth date) to the late Max and Roberta (Bassett) Imhoff.

Max spent his formative years living in the Bronx, NYC before moving to Concord, MA at the age of 17. After graduating from Concord-Carlisle High School in 1961, he enrolled at U Mass Amherst, but after a few semesters he decided that college was not for him. In May of 1962, he joined the US Coast Guard, became a proficient radio operator, and forged a life-long friendship with his shipmate, Steve (“Dr. Fong”) Larsen. He enjoyed attending reunions of the USS Castle Rock with his shipmates and kept in touch with many via email and social media.

After four years in the Coast Guard, Max tried his hand at many jobs – from an over-the-counter trader on the stock exchange in San Francisco, to mentoring troubled boys in the DARE program in Cambridge. He found his true calling in farming and orchard work. He was always happy on a John Deere tractor!

Max had a great spirit of adventure, a vivid imagination, and a love for the written word. He was a mischievous practical joker, a captivating storyteller, and he loved pyrotechnics! The 4 of July was his favorite holiday and he would read the Declaration of Independence every year on the 4…and detonate as many fireworks as he could afford.

His maternal grandfather, R. Smith Bassett began to teach Max about civic and personal responsibility, the Constitution, and sound money, commencing at the early age of 14. His beloved grandfather was a very strong influence in his life, and he was Max’s personal hero.

Max was a fierce warrior for freedom, liberty, and constitutional rights. He expressed his opinions freely and loved his country above all else. The oath he took to protect and defend the Constitution against all terrorists, foreign and domestic, meant everything to him. A voracious reader, self-taught historian, and Civil War scholar, Max could discuss, debate, or teach any facet of American history.

He loved all animals, and especially his Karelian Bear dog, Coowee, who passed away one month before he did. She was the “dog of his dreams” and they had many wonderful years together at Alyson’s Orchard where he and Fran worked and lived. He also loved cats and believed they were the smartest and most highly evolved creatures on the planet. He proved his theory by ‘training’ our cats over the years — Raoul, Ralphie, three Tommy’s and little Shorty — to fetch and retrieve, come when called, and sometimes even talk on command. Fran nicknamed him “Gunther Gable Williams,” after the famous lion and tiger trainer in the Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Max’s love for children shined the brightest when he led children’s school tours at Alyson’s Orchard during the fall apple picking season. Some of the children who had been on one of his tours insisted that their parents bring them back to the Orchard numerous times throughout the season, just to see “Farmer Max.”

Stickball, a New York tradition, and baseball were his games. He was introduced to baseball by his maternal grandmother, Eva, a rabid Dodgers fan, and spent many summer afternoons at Ebbets Field learning and loving the game. Max amassed a vast knowledge of baseball over his lifetime, and could recall any statistic instantly. This talent also made him excellent at Trivia.

He formed the North American Stickball League in Cambridge, MA in the late 1970’s and was the proud owner/player/manager of his winning team, the Tocaloma Express. He was once interviewed and filmed by Bob Lobel, former sportscaster for WBZ-TV in Boston about his passion for stickball, and the segment was aired on the evening news. Max knew how to have fun! Not only did he play stickball at every opportunity, but he also planned a yearly league banquet, complete with T-shirts, trophies, awards and the crowning of a Homecoming Queen!

In 1975, while walking down Pearl Street in Cambridge with his best friend, Steve, he met Fran. They were married 12 years later in 1987 and shared 36 years of marriage. Over the years, they lived in Cambridge, Arlington, Mansfield, Berlin and Clinton, MA before moving to Walpole, NH in 2008. Upon retirement, they moved to Langdon, NH. A few weeks ago, Max shared a very special moment with Fran when he said– “In my life I did a few things very right. One was joining the Coast Guard and the other was marrying you!” After a short pause, he then added that his stickball team, the Tocaloma Express, should be added to that list of winners!

Max leaves his soulmate, wife, and caregiver, Fran Imhoff of Langdon, NH; his sister, Megan Imhoff Allen, niece, Liz Khachadoorian, and grand-niece, Katie Khachadoorian, all of Shelton, CT, as well as many good friends.

The Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, makers of Torpedo beer, are devastated by the loss of Max. A Celebration of his Life will be held during “Happy Hour” (1-4 pm) on Sunday, November 12, 2023, at Alyson’s Orchard in Walpole, NH. A private military burial will take place in the spring.

If you wish, you can make a donation in memory of Max to:

The US Coast Guard Museum
15 Mohegan Avenue
New London, CT 06320-4195
https://www.coastguardmuseum.org/

OR

The American Battlefield Trust
1156 15th Street NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005 .
https://www.battlefields.org/give/save-battlefields

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Fenton and Hennessey Funeral Home, Bellows Falls, VT.