Charles Max Stover       5 Aug 1938 – 12 Mar 2021

Indianola - Charles Max Stover, 82, of Indianola, IA, passed away on March 12, 2021 in Houston, TX. He was born on May 8, 1938 in East Galesburg, IL.

Max grew up in Ames, Iowa and graduated from Simpson College in 1962. He was a member of the Kappa Theta Psi fraternity. Following graduation, he married fellow student Virginia Josey.

For 35 years, Max was a ninth grade English teacher at Indianola Junior High School. He was a lifetime member of the National Education Association and past president of the local association.

Max enjoyed searching for antiques with Virginia, collecting celebrity autographs, and rebuilding his classic 1956 Ford Convertible. Some of his fondest memories during retirement included traveling to different US venues to see his granddaughter, Sarah, perform as "Matilda" in the National Broadway Tour or watching his grandson, David, pitch in baseball games.

Max's legacy within the Indianola community was the impact he made on his students. He was known for his funny sense of humor, kind-hearted smile and compassion for students who faced adversities. He had a knack for remembering the names and faces of former students and loved hearing "Hi, Mr. Stover!" when he would see them around town.

Max was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather whose family was proud to call him "Dad" and "Papa." He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Emily Stover, parents Phil Stover and Hazel Pike, and siblings Letha, Kenny, Paul, Betty and Johnny.

He will be dearly missed by his wife, Virginia Josey, son Joe Stover (Margot Voshell) of Newton, IA, daughter Susannah Austin (Mark) of Sugar Land, TX, grandchildren Sarah McKinley and David Maxwell Austin, Shelby Benton (Steve) and Grant Voshell, daughter-in-law Amy Austin and many long-time friends.

A private service will be held at Greenwood Cemetery in Ankeny, Iowa this summer. In memory of Max, donations may be made the charity of one's choice.

Posted online on March 19, 2021

Published in Des Moines Register