Max Isaiah Coleman

Max Isaiah Coleman, our beloved 21-year-old son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, friend & resident jokester, passed away on the morning of April 14th, 2023, in Wichita, Kansas. Max was born to Jillana Kay McFadden Janes and Aaron James Coleman on January 15th, 2002, in Brownwood, Texas. On Wednesday, April 19th, 2023, there will be a come & go viewing at Downing & Lahey Mortuary (10515 W Maple St, Wichita, KS 67209) from 10am to Noon, followed by a Celebration of Life service at 2pm at Pathway Church - Westlink Campus (2001 N Maize Rd, Wichita, KS 67212). To honor Max, we ask that you do not dress up - he just hated having to look fancy. Instead, we invite you to wear a Spider-Man (Max’s favorite super-hero), Maize South Maverick, or State of Texas shirt and some comfortable pants - as this is usually how Max was dressed. If you were one of the lucky ones to be in the MS Leche Club (you know who you are), you should locate that shirt at the back of your closet and wear it to honor Max. From the time Max emerged from his mom’s womb, he lit up every room he entered. He was born to be an entertainer: he knew how to read a room with precision and was 10 steps ahead of everyone before the rest of us could even get our bearings. His intelligence, even as a toddler, was absolutely staggering. Under the tutelage of his mom, Max memorized the most outlandish information that no other 3-year-old cared to know about - but Max did, and he was always so proud to show-off that knowledge. He excelled at academics in his elementary years. Max was a proficient reader - he would devour books at the rate many of us today binge Netflix shows. While in Abilene, Texas, he was honored as one of the top readers in the entire school district. At that time, his favorite books were the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series, by Rick Riordan. His Mamaw would make sure that he had the latest hard-back in the series as soon as it was released. Max was also an avid gamer. Even from an early age, he gravitated towards a gaming-controller, and quickly mastered any game put before him. Max’s Pa is responsible for his first gaming center - a Nintendo Wii. The family spent hours together on the console, playing golf, bowling, and tennis. Max was always terribly hard to beat - and soon enough, it wasn’t even worth trying, he won most every single match. Favorite memories include Max, Beaux & Jaxon playing Super Brothers together, especially when there was a snow-day, because it meant the family was gifted an entire day together in the basement, endlessly playing Mario, Smash Brothers, Forza, and Mini-Ninjas. Moving to Wichita, Kansas in the Fall of 2012 was a gamble that Max’s mother and father took. Knowing it would be hard on the boys to switch schools mid-year, but followed their instincts and made the move. Both are grateful they took this risk because the boys have thrived in Wichita - and these Texans-at-heart became proud honorary Kansans over the past 10 plus years. It’s here, and over time, that Max met his lifelong friends: Clayton, Dakota, Jakeb, and Dayne (just to name a very small handful). Thanks to an incredible school-system like Maize South, Max found a safe and caring community to thrive within. During his time in Middle-School he developed a deep love for his friends and sports. He played Football, he wrestled, he played baseball, spent a lot of time at Church Youth Group, and enjoyed listening to music. Those are the avenues where Max excelled - he took comfort in being around people, making them laugh, saying clever things and building connections. I think his affinity for music can be attributed in large part to his Nana, who would always sing silly songs with him when he was little, and then well-known pop-hits as he got older. And of course, his love for sports came natural - his Papa would always wrestle with him and his brothers, toss the football around, shoot hoops in the driveway, and play baseball in the backyard. As we all do, Max transformed in his High School Years. He continued to wrestle his Freshman Year, but football captured his main athletic attention for the remainder of his time at Maize South. There’s something really special about Maize South Football - and it really has little to do with what transpires on the field. Max, like most boys who go through the program, found a community of brotherhood and discipline that he desperately needed. That program has a motto of “Family Over Everything” (FOE) - they ensure that the older boys look out for and include the younger boys, that the players build strong friendships, and everyone holds each other accountable. Going into his Junior year, for some reason Max decided that he didn’t want to play football. He was busy working at Freddy’s Frozen Custard (which he really loved, by the way), and just beginning to enjoy the independence that comes from being 16 going on 17. Once the actual season began, Max immediately regretted that decision - he felt so left out, which was something he hated feeling. Max was grateful to rejoin the team his senior year which was filled with many highs and lows. Friday Night Lights were a highlight for him - it was an honor for him to dawn the Black & Gold uniform and be with his teammates again. Early in September of 2019, he somehow managed to wreck (and total) two vehicles in a matter of 2-3 weeks - and somehow he emerged without so much as a scratch. Several friends/teammates showed up to the first accident to check on him and make sure he was safe. Max was in the unfortunate class of 2020 - the year that Covid-19 fell upon the world. You’ll recall that life utterly shut-down in the Spring of that year. School went remote, and life became very dull for Max. He, and the rest of the Seniors, were robbed of so many customary Senior-Year rituals. While he would likely brush it off, and tell you it wasn’t that big of deal, I know Max was saddened by not being able to participate in many of the usual traditions that accompany graduating from High School. But he made it through and was proud to be a Maize South High School graduate. For anyone who truly knows Max, you never found yourself questioning his intelligence. He had a razor sharp and lightning quick mind. Max was one of those types that got bored with traditional education, and so he educated himself on a lot of matters. He spoke with clarity and confidence about a myriad of subjects. If he didn’t know something about a topic he was interested in, you can be certain that he quickly remedied that for himself. Max was never one to go down the well-trodden path - he was a rogue-soul and liked making his own path. So, college was just not something that interested him right out of school. He wanted to stretch his wings, and really be independent. Therefore, in less than a year of graduating High School, Max branched out on his own and got an apartment with Dakota, later to be joined by Jakeb, and Dayne. Max was really proud of that apartment - it made him feel like he was a real adult. It was the place to hang-out and have a good time. It was common for way too many people being crammed in that little apartment, hanging out and making memories with Max as the chief entertainer. But it’s also where Max found his solitude. You would most commonly find him there, playing X-Box live, hanging out virtually with his gaming buddies - like his step-brother Landon, and his best-friend-Brother Beaux. One of Max’s favorite roles was being a big brother. Max’s name means leader which is fitting because from day one, he has been the leader of his siblings. Despite typical childhood bickering, Max, Beaux, and Jaxon developed an impenetrable bond which is best expressed through one of the brother’s favorite songs by the Avett Brothers, “Always remember there was nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name.” Those boys love each other so much. And they’re so proud of each other. Nobody could make Beaux & Jaxon laugh like Max - he just knew exactly how to push their buttons and make them belly-laugh. I know he was really proud to see Beaux graduate High School and get to play football at Baker University. Equally, he was really proud of Jaxon’s recent weight-lifting achievements and couldn’t wait to watch him play football this coming Fall. It won’t be the same without Max rooting for his brothers, but he’ll never leave our hearts - he’ll always be inspiring us to keep fighting and pursuing our dreams. Later, in 2018, Max’s role as big brother grew as he gained additional siblings in Landon, Ella Grace, and Kelley, whom he loved deeply and had a special connection with each. Max had an entrepreneur’s spirit - he hated the idea of being beholden to someone else for his well-being. He was constantly trying to figure out what he could do to be a self-made man and generate multiple revenue streams. He talked about real-estate, and flipping houses, and investing in stocks, and developing eCommerce sites. He never stopped trying to figure out how to circumvent the system. And given enough time, I believe Max would’ve eventually figured it out, making all of us shake our heads in amazement. Post-High School, Max dabbled in several careers and literally excelled at all of them in no time at all (it’s the only way he did things). He got into car-stuff by working at AutoZone. He hauled Hot-Tubs all around the region for Ultra-Modern. He welded for Kice Industries. And most recently he became an expert wire technician for Mil-Tel. None of those fully captured his heart - they just weren’t big enough to contain Max. Despite Max’s abbreviated life, he lived it to the fullest and made a positive and lasting impact on so many people along the way. He will be eternally missed by everyone who knew and loved him. We love you so much Max! Max Isaiah Coleman is survived by: his Mother, Jill Janes, and her husband Jeremy; his Father, Aaron Coleman, and his wife Sarah Lair; his brothers, Joshua Beaux and Jaxon Luke Coleman; his step-siblings, Landon, Ella Grace, and Kelley; his Pa & Mamaw, Dave & Donna McFadden; his Papa & Nana, Ty & Debbie Coleman; his step-grandparents, Randall & Susan Lair; his uncles and aunts, Jeff & Laura McFadden, and Josh & Tiffany McFadden; his Aunt & Uncle Jessica & Doug Connell; and his great-grandma Lucy McFadden. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you take one of the following steps: ·Donate to American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, attn: Michael Swyer, 199 Water St., 11th Floor, New York, NY 10038 https://afsp.org ·Donate to Methodist Retirement Communities, 1440 Lake Front Circle, Suite 140, The Woodlands, TX 77380 www.mrcaff.org/giving·Donate to Maize South Maverick Football, in Max’s honor.·Or, reach out and assist someone in need in your neighborhood or community, and do it with Max in mind.