Max Nicholas Wiener died peacefully on August 30, 2023, in his residence at Mercy Ridge Assisted Living in Timonium, Maryland. He was ninety-eight. Max was born on September 27, 1924, in Baltimore, Maryland.
Max leaves behind a legacy of family and friends from nearly ten decades of a full life, well lived. He was the beloved husband of the late Jane (nee Warfield) Wiener; devoted father of David S. Wiener and his wife Mary, and Janet W. Harbeck and her husband, Glenn; and brother of the late Lillian Bernheimer. “Pop-Pop” was the loving grandfather of the late Benjamin S. Harbeck (wife Virgina), and Allison Harbeck Anders (husband Ben), and great-grandchildren Kate and Abby Harbeck, and Maxwell Anders. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews, as well as great nieces and nephews who loved “Uncle Bud.” He will be deeply missed by his special friend of 18 years, Carolyn Manning.
Shortly after graduating from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, and with World War II well underway, Max was accepted into officer training in the (then Army) Air Force and trained to become a bombardier on a B-17 military aircraft. His flight crew was assigned to the 483rd Bomb Group, 815th Squadron, 15th Air Force, flying fourteen missions out of northern Italy into Nazi-held Austria and Germany. As a lifelong patriot, Max was honored to serve his country and looked back on his military experience with immense pride.
Returning home from the war and thanks to the GI Bill, Max attended Johns Hopkins University, graduating in 1949 with his BS in Civil Engineering. While in college, he was the starting catcher for the Hopkins “Blue Jays” baseball team. As a professional engineer for over 50 years, Max’s legacy is his work as a Senior Project Manager for McCormick Properties where he led the land development and commercial building projects in what is now the Hunt Valley Business Community.
Max was enthusiastically involved in the community of Catonsville where he and Jane raised their family. He volunteered with Boy Scout Troop 307. Over many years, he skillfully coached girls' softball and basketball teams in the Catonsville Recreation Program. He also relished his time in his shop, chiseling away at countless woodworking projects, especially carved ducks, custom wood pens and wood turnings. Prized among his other projects was a scaled replica of the B-17 Model G “Flying Fortress” bomber that brought him safely home from numerous bombing missions over enemy territory.
His family fondly remembers enjoying Oriole games, 4th of July Parades, Ocean City vacations, and joyous Christmas caroling with Catonsville United Methodist Church parishioners.
After moving to the Fairhaven retirement community in Sykesville, Max learned to relax, made new friends, improved his golf game, and excelled as a woodworking craftsman. He played competitive tennis well into his 80s - proving that age is merely a number. At any gathering of friends or family, Max was always the life of the party, leaving smiles in his wake.
In recent years Max memorialized his life story in an autobiography, Things That I Remember, focusing special attention to his experiences as a 20-year-old Air Force Lieutenant serving his country at war. This will be a keepsake to his family for generations to come.
Friends and loved ones are invited to a memorial service for Max to be held Saturday, September 9, 2023, at Catonsville United Methodist Church. The doors will open for visitation at 10:30 am and a memorial service to celebrate Max’s life will commence at 11:00 am.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to a charitable organization of your choosing in memory of Max Wiener.
Max Nicholas Wiener's laughter, love, and larger-than-life spirit has etched an indelible mark on our lives. May his memory be a ray of sunshine that softens our grief.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sterlingashtonschwabwitzke.com for the Wiener family.
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