Max Feldpausch

Max Feldpausch from St. Johns, MI passed away on Sunday, August 29, 2021 at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, MI due to several injuries sustained from a car accident.  The car accident was caused by him going into cardiac arrest while he was driving.  He was 78.
He was born on December 12, 1942 and was the youngest of 10 children of Ray and Armela Feldpausch.  He grew up on the family farm in Fowler, MI.  He had a lifelong love of music that began with his sister Theresa teaching him how to play guitar at a young age.  He also played the piano and the saxophone.  He started playing saxophone with the Mello Tones in 1962 and did so until his passing.  He also played saxophone in the Western Michigan University (WMU) Marching Band and graduated from WMU in 1968 with a major in psychology and a minor in math.  He was the first member of his family to graduate from college.
He started his career as a high school math teacher in 1968.  Due to a lifelong curiosity he had with electricity, he began taking electrical math classes at Lansing Community College (LCC) in the late 1980's.  Upon doing extremely well in the classes he informed one of the instructors that he could teach the class and he did just that, teaching as an electrical math instructor at LCC until his passing.  He taught numerous students through the IBEW program at LCC and helped them start their careers as apprentice electricians.
Max was a fiercely independent person and had a passion for traveling out west visiting National Parks.  He always had an appreciation for nature; whether it was trees or growing his own vegetables in his garden.  He was also known for his unique and witty sense of humor.  He was one of a kind.
He is survived by his partner Tena French, his children DeAnn (John) Schwarz and Max (Meghan) Feldpausch II, and the mother of his children Nancy Riel.  He is also survived by his four grandchildren Morgan, Jonathan, Madelyn, and Grace.  He is also survived by his siblings Theresa, Leon, Francis, Raymond, Casper, and Mary Ann.  He was preceded in death by his siblings Bernard, Agatha, and Clement.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church, St. Johns, MI, at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, September 4, 2021, with Rev. Fr. Michael Williams presiding.  Visitation will be held on Saturday, September 4, 2021 from 9:30 A.M. until the time of the funeral mass at Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Knights of Columbus St. Johns, MI or St. Joseph Catholic School, St. Johns, MI.  Online condolences can be sent to www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, Michigan.