1931
Max
2009
Max Gruenwald
November 4, 1931 — June 17, 2009
Funeral services for longtime Milbank attorney, Max Gruenwald, age 77, will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 23, 2009, at the First Congregational Church in Milbank. The Reverend Colleen Natalie-Lees will officiate. Max died on Wednesday, June 17, 2009, at the Avera-McKennan Select Specialty Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. The pianist will be Linda Stengel and Jack Stengel will be the soloist. Remembrances will be presented by Marlin Olson and Ron Roehr.
Visitation will be at the Emanuel-Patterson Funeral Home in Milbank on Monday from 5-7 p.m. and in the church Tuesday one hour before services. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Norm Madsen and Max Gonzenbach. Active pallbearers will be Earl Bohlen, Jim Dornbusch, Jack Davenport, Jack Stengel, Doug Sunne, and Bill Coester.
Burial will be in the Milbank City Cemetery with graveside military rites presented by the Birch-Miller American Legion Post #9 and the Grant County VFW Post #9 in Milbank.
Max was born November 4, 1931, at Mitchell, SD, to Charles and Catherine Gruenwald. He attended rural grade school. He was salutatorian of the Corsica High School Class of 1949. He attended two years at Yankton College before transferring to the University of South Dakota where he graduated in 1956 with an undergraduate degree in government and a law degree. While at USD, he was elected Student Body President. Max was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and served as President of the fraternity. He married Dona Olson in 1954. Together, they raised three children: Lane, Mark, and Shari. Dona died on May 2, 2007.
Max served in the Navy in the late 1950s at Pearl Harbor Naval Station and Hickman Air Force Base. He was honorably discharged as Lieutenant Junior Grade in November 1959.
Max commenced the practice of law in Milbank, SD, in January, 1960, and continued in the practice until 2009. He served as attorney for the Milbank School District for over thirty years, Milbank City Attorney for twenty-one years, and two terms as Grant County State's Attorney. He also was state president of the South Dakota State's Attorney Association. Max was Chairman of the State Bar Ethics Committee. He was owner and president of the Grant County Abstract and Title Company and was a past president of the South Dakota Land Title Association.
Max was active politically in South Dakota. He organized the first statewide College Young Republicans in 1954 and served two terms as state president. In 1963 he was the state Young Republican Chairman and also was the Grant County Republican Chairman in the 1970's. Since then, he has participated in several statewide campaigns.
Max was a member of the South Dakota Legislature in 1969-1971 and did not run for re-election to concentrate on his law practice. He was appointed in 1987 as a member of the Board of Regents by Governor Mickelson and served ten years, including a term as board president.
Max was also active in community organizations as president of the Milbank Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, and the Milbank-Grant County Industrial Development Corporation. He was a member of the Milbank High School Educational Foundation and served as secretary-treasurer. Max was a fifty-year member of the Masons. He had been involved in SD Public Broadcasting, Grant County Historical Society, Pheasants Forever, Milbank Golden Living Center Advisory Board and Grant County ARC. Max also was a member of the Dakota State Bank Board of Directors.
Max enjoyed sports, especially downhill skiing, tennis, golf, hiking, and walking.
Survivors are his children, Lane, Twin Brooks, Mark (Therese), Sioux Falls, and Shari Gruenwald, Washington, D.C., and a brother James (Gerry) Gruenwald, San Diego, CA.
In addition to his wife Dona, Max was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters.
Visitation will be at the Emanuel-Patterson Funeral Home in Milbank on Monday from 5-7 p.m. and in the church Tuesday one hour before services. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Norm Madsen and Max Gonzenbach. Active pallbearers will be Earl Bohlen, Jim Dornbusch, Jack Davenport, Jack Stengel, Doug Sunne, and Bill Coester.
Burial will be in the Milbank City Cemetery with graveside military rites presented by the Birch-Miller American Legion Post #9 and the Grant County VFW Post #9 in Milbank.
Max was born November 4, 1931, at Mitchell, SD, to Charles and Catherine Gruenwald. He attended rural grade school. He was salutatorian of the Corsica High School Class of 1949. He attended two years at Yankton College before transferring to the University of South Dakota where he graduated in 1956 with an undergraduate degree in government and a law degree. While at USD, he was elected Student Body President. Max was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and served as President of the fraternity. He married Dona Olson in 1954. Together, they raised three children: Lane, Mark, and Shari. Dona died on May 2, 2007.
Max served in the Navy in the late 1950s at Pearl Harbor Naval Station and Hickman Air Force Base. He was honorably discharged as Lieutenant Junior Grade in November 1959.
Max commenced the practice of law in Milbank, SD, in January, 1960, and continued in the practice until 2009. He served as attorney for the Milbank School District for over thirty years, Milbank City Attorney for twenty-one years, and two terms as Grant County State's Attorney. He also was state president of the South Dakota State's Attorney Association. Max was Chairman of the State Bar Ethics Committee. He was owner and president of the Grant County Abstract and Title Company and was a past president of the South Dakota Land Title Association.
Max was active politically in South Dakota. He organized the first statewide College Young Republicans in 1954 and served two terms as state president. In 1963 he was the state Young Republican Chairman and also was the Grant County Republican Chairman in the 1970's. Since then, he has participated in several statewide campaigns.
Max was a member of the South Dakota Legislature in 1969-1971 and did not run for re-election to concentrate on his law practice. He was appointed in 1987 as a member of the Board of Regents by Governor Mickelson and served ten years, including a term as board president.
Max was also active in community organizations as president of the Milbank Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, and the Milbank-Grant County Industrial Development Corporation. He was a member of the Milbank High School Educational Foundation and served as secretary-treasurer. Max was a fifty-year member of the Masons. He had been involved in SD Public Broadcasting, Grant County Historical Society, Pheasants Forever, Milbank Golden Living Center Advisory Board and Grant County ARC. Max also was a member of the Dakota State Bank Board of Directors.
Max enjoyed sports, especially downhill skiing, tennis, golf, hiking, and walking.
Survivors are his children, Lane, Twin Brooks, Mark (Therese), Sioux Falls, and Shari Gruenwald, Washington, D.C., and a brother James (Gerry) Gruenwald, San Diego, CA.
In addition to his wife Dona, Max was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters.