Max Ray Herzog

May 9, 1947 - October 26, 2025

Max Ray Herzog was born in Salt Lake City, UT, to John Raymond Herzog and Willora Roberteen Kerr. He was their second child and only son. He has 3 sisters, Carol Clift, Shellie Larios, and Becky Ford. He grew up in Magna, UT. He attended Webster Elementary, Magna Elementary, and Brockbank Jr. High and graduated from Cyprus High School in 1965. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the British Mission from 1966 to 1968.

Max attended Snow College and Southern Utah State College. He graduated with a bachelor's degree with a major in physical education and a minor in music in 1972.

He met his wife, Merrillyn Day, at Snow College in the fall of 1969. They were married on June 6, 1970, in the Manti UT Temple. They had 5 children: Maxine, John, Lynette, Lynn, and Mandee.

Max played the trombone and trumpet. He played in college and community bands throughout his life. After graduating from college, he taught band, chorus, and general music in Milford, UT. Over the course of his life, he worked many jobs, such as a schoolteacher, a coal miner, at a chemical plant, cleaning pools, at a bank, and owning and teaching at his driver's education business.

Max loved sports. He ran track, swam, and played basketball, volleyball, softball, badminton, and table tennis in high school and college and throughout his life. He loved riding bikes and rode bikes with his kids and grandkids. Most of all, he loved to golf. He loved to go golfing with his family and friends. He has a collection of over 1,000 different golf balls.

Max always said his greatest blessing was his wife, Merrillyn. Max was a fun, loving dad and was involved with his children's lives. He loved to talk with them about everything going on in their lives. Max was kind, thoughtful, and compassionate. He helped people however he could. He was easygoing and personable. He was easy to talk to and made people feel comfortable and loved. He was a friend to all.

Max loved to play Monopoly and chess and taught all of his children and some of his grandchildren to play. Max loved to put together jigsaw puzzles and enjoyed doing that with his children, grandkids, and great-grandkids.

Max loved to sing. He sang with a barbershop, church choirs, and all around his house.

Max served in many callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He especially loved serving in nursery and scouts. Max was involved in every aspect of scouting with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Max loved genealogy and family history. Max learned to do indexing for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He became an auditor of indexing for the church. He indexed over 700,000 names.  He was recognized by the LDS Family History for all the indexing work he has done. He was in the top 100 indexers among 400,000. Max was a service missionary for the LDS Family History Center in Nampa, ID, at the time of his passing.

Max was a man of faith. He honored his priesthood. His testimony of our Heavenly Father and His son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, is an example and strength to his family.

Max passed away in Boise, ID, on October 26, 2025.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Shellie, and his grandson, Shane Michael Herzog.

He is survived by his wife, Merrillyn; his children, Maxine (Robert), John, Lynette (Joshua), Lynn, and Mandee (Travis); and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 8, 2025, at 12:00pm, with a viewing beginning at 11:00am at the LDS Church at 121 N Canyon St, Nampa, ID. Max will be laid to rest at Kohlerlawn Cemetery in Nampa, ID.