Max Major Pappe  1917-2002

Kingfisher Times, Sunday, March 3, 2002

CATHEDRAL CITY, CA. Max Major Pappe, 84, of Cathedral City died at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, February 24, at Amdal Residential Care in Rancho Mirage, where he has resided since August of 2001 with his wife of 58 years. He was admired and respected by all who knew him.

A native of Kingfisher, OK, he was born December 28, 1917. He moved to Downey, CA in 1948 with his wife, the former Mildred Wittrock from Okarche, OK, and three children. He retired to Cathedral City in 1971. The Pappe family was well known in Kingfisher, his grandfather, Richard Pappe Sr., being among the first settlers there in the opening of Oklahoma Territory in April 1889. He made his living in the flooring business and was a full partner in Floor Fashions, Inc. in Fullerton, CA. In retirement, he pursued his life's passions as an inventor and ballroom dancer and was an active amateur radio operator, using the call sign KA6EKV. He was a 30-year member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks of the USA, Lodge No. 1905 in Cathedral City.

At the age of 16 he enlisted in the National Guard in Oklahoma, serving for six years. In 1940 he entered the regular Army, serving six more years in Panama and the Philippines as Unit Commander, Field Artillery, and rising to the rank of Master Sergeant. He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant after completing Officers Candidate School and was later promoted to First Lieutenant upon his honorable discharge in 1946.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur Pappe and Violet Major Pappe of Kingfisher and one brother, Charles Pappe of Oklahoma City, OK. In addition to his widow, Mildred, of the home, he is survived by three children and their spouses, Donald and Judy Pappe of Whittier, Marilyn and Don Davis of Cathedral City, and Elaine and Robert Lawson of Laguna Beach, CA; five grandchildren, Deborah Jones, Kimberly Cheney, Robert Willis, Angela and Jessica Lawson; and five great grandchildren; a sister, Louise Altizer of Kingfisher and a nephew, Charles Altizer of Oklahoma City, OK; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Private memorial services will be held on Saturday March 9th in Cathedral City.

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