Submit a PhotoMaxwell was born on November 10th, 1999, the only son and youngest child of Keith and Mechelle Blue of Gilbert, AZ. At only 23 years old, he passed away on Sunday, January 22nd, 2023 at 1:10 PM.
Max is survived by his parents, Keith and Mechelle Blue, his three sisters, McKenzie, Casey (Nathan Saylor) and Jessica (Joel Parron), Shiloh Rose (his first, only, and favorite niece), Grandma Louisa Belpedio, Uncle Bill & Aunt Denise Belpedio, Uncle Michael Belpedio, his beautiful Great Grandma Gilda and many cousins and other family members who loved him deeply. Max was preceded in death by Grandpa Vernon Blue, Grandma Nancy Blue, and Papa Al Belpedio.
Max earned an Associate’s Degree in Business from Chandler Gilbert Community College, where he was active in DECA and held several office positions. Max was smart, great at sales and at communicating information to clients and also very organized. Even in his younger years, those skills helped him gain valuable experience for his future professional life.
Eventually, he was employed as an Account Executive for a large company in Scottsdale. Most recently, he had made the decision to leave traditional employment to establish his own marketing business which he found to be both energizing and exciting.
Max had a passion for paintball, hunting, snowboarding and skiing. He joined the Phoenix Saints Paintball Team when he was just 16 years old, and as the youngest member on the team, the Team Captain took him under his wing. Max was very grateful for that. Later on, Max became a member of the Legacy Paintball team and continued to enjoy the sport for many more years. He had a great sense of humor, a giant heart for helping people and lots of bear hugs for anyone who was close enough to get caught in a bear hug.
Max loved being outside in nature, spending time with family and friends, listening to music and was an exceptional marksman. When he was just 10 years old, he joined a shotgun team and at 13 years old, qualified to compete at Nationals. It was a memorable family trip to Sparta, IL and we were thrilled that Max shot a perfect score for his event.
Max was 5 years old when he accepted Christ and was baptized. More than any of his earthly accomplishments, he was best known for loving God deeply and his gentle serving spirit. As Max got older, his deep faith in Christ showed, especially when he walked through some extremely difficult years of health struggles. God has graciously allowed Max to live a joyful, purpose-filled life and to give us the incredible blessing of being a part of his life.
Max was loved by so many, we would appreciate for you to email your favorite memories to us for us to treasure at RememberingMaxBlue@gmail.com
In lieu of flowers, please prayerfully consider donating to the Bread of Life Foundation in Poland. https://rescuetheforgotten.com/donate.html After a mission trip Max took when he was 18, this organization became near and dear to his heart.
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Max sounds like a truly wonderful person. May he rest in peace
Max was a great person, all my support to the family, a big hug.
Rest in peace my friend.
Max was a wonderful young man. I was privileged to know him as a student at Imagine West Gilbert and also a good friend of my grandson, Matthew. I am so sorry for your loss. Your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.
I’m so heart broken. I miss him everyday and am so grateful for his friendship. He was one of my best friends and every day I think about him so much. I loved him!
I’m not the best writer so stick with me my man
Hey buddy, I went to your celebration of life service today. I wish we would’ve talked more (I should’ve reached out I just didn’t know much about you because you were 3yrs older). You were truly a great guy when we went to LEA together and you should’ve seen how many people were there for you today man. It was amazing to see how many peoples life you positively impacted. I’m sitting here crying my eyes out listening to the songs they played for you today. I’m just so mad at myself for not talking to you more. I’m not mad at God but I’m just confused as to why he has to take people away when we need more people like you. I haven’t cried in years but man, I’ve cried so much today. Reading our messages I wonder what could’ve been if I responded or said something different. Everyone that spoke today had so many great things to say about you and it was just so sad that more memories can’t be made with you. Maybe God took you away to help me realize life isn’t forever it could be taken away at any moment. It sounded like you had a great relationship with God and I know that it’s important but I just haven’t been a good enough Christian but because of your passing and going home to be with God maybe it’s what I needed to get back on track with him. Like many people said today “live life to the Max.” But I want my relationship with God to be to the Max.
I have so much more to say but I just can’t find the words right now. While we didn’t talk much I’m just crushed by your passing man. I love you & your family so much and I just can’t imagine what they’re going through. I’ll be praying for them & God will take care of them always. I’ll always be there for them if they ever need anything. I hope one day I’ll see you in heaven and get a bear hug from you.
I love you brother, I’ll talk to you later💙 It’s not goodbye
I went to college with Max we were both in the Christian Club! He was was always so nice to me each week we would see each other!!!
My Dear Son Max, I love you so much. I am devastated to lose you but I find comfort in knowing that you knew and loved God and that you are now in perfect peace and are with Him. I will be so happy when I see you again and can give you a big hug and a kiss. Love, Your Momma
I am so very sorry to hear of Max’s passing. He had an amazing spirit and loved by everyone that knew him at CGCC.
He was an inspiring leader in our DECA organization. He had strong knowledge and leadership abilities but led with a generous heart. He contributed so much to our campus with the chapter and with the state DECA organization.
Thoughts and prayers to all of his family and friends during this difficult time.
Beth Nuneviller, Chandler-Gilbert Community College
School
I apologize for the delay as I do have a lot I want to share but articulating it is the difficulty. I also did not recognize a lot of this until after events occurred. But ultimately I waited to say anything because I was afraid and hurt. And I was afraid to hurt others with the way I feel I failed him.
Max was the most amazing individual I had met. Always out going and willing to help whoever needed it no matter what. He was a true example of a caring individual. I miss him. Max was always there for me. He was the friend that I never even need to ask to be there he was just there. He didn’t even have to know anything was wrong and he would be already making you smile or laugh some how. I miss him and I wish I would’ve been there more for him when he was here the way he was for me.
in the end max was a better friend than I ever deserved. He was always there for me despite me never being there for him in my arrogance. I long to have been a better friend. I long to have been the friend Max was to me. The friend I never deserved. I wish I would’ve been more appreciative and I wish I could’ve been less selfish with my time and sacrificed it for others as he did. I wish I could’ve been a better friend. I can’t articulate the reason I wasn’t but this isn’t about me this about Max. Max was the most caring individual I have ever met and he had such a big heart. He was a giver as his dad said. Something I only stayed true to when it was convenient for me. But Max was a giver through and through. He would give you the shirt off his back if you said you needed it. He is what I aspire to be. Virtuous.
When we were 16 or 17 we use to compete to see who could get to the door first to hold it for everyone. My reasons were strictly appearances in my arrogance but max did it not because how it appeared but because it simply was the right thing to do. I have never met anyone as virtuous as Max and I miss him.
In college we drifted apart but it was not Max’s caring personality that caused it but rather my own indulgence in distraction and irrelevance. I lost track of what mattered and what was important. I engaged in absurd things for absurd reasons. As a result I drifted away from those I cared about for the new distraction I was living, the irrelevance of college life.
Rather then spending my time with those I trusted and cared about I went and tried to impress groups of toxic people throughout different groups of people for irrelevant and temporary reasons. This will always be my biggest regret. Because despite my apparent selfishness Max never held it against me and he was still always there for me. I wish I would’ve been a better friend to him. I wish I was more like him.
About a month before he passed max came over to a party my parents were having for reasons I can’t remember. I didn’t know what was up with me that day but I was struggling to interact socially. Max showed up and it was like he knew or could just tell I was having a rough time and every single thing he said made me feel so much better and helped me so much that day and I was never able to articulate it but I have never forgotten how understanding and caring of an individual max is and I never will. About a month later is when I got the call about max… he had left me a voicemail a week before and I never got the chance to call him back because I always thought there would be more time. I thought I could just get my life together and then i can hang out with everyone and enjoy their company. It hurts how wrong I was.
I will always long to have been a better friend. I will always long to have been the friend Max was to me.
Max will always be the best friend that I never deserved.
He understood and actually cared the way we should all care for others. “Love thy neighbor” right?
I could write on and on. There is so much Max did with me and for me that never got the level of appreciation it deserved. And truthfully I never returned that favor. Not in the manner I wish I had. Max was one of the friends I could message or call anytime and he would always be there. I just wish I would’ve been more like him and that’s how I’ve aimed to live my life since. To the Max.
Max Blue was an amazing kid with a big heart. I first met him when he came out for a paintball team tryout with the Phoenix Saints. I instantly took a liking to his personality and gave him a spot on the team that day. He was a humble soul and cared more of others than himself. He always offered help to others that needed it. He was always a happy kid. He always looked for the positive in any situation. Most of all, he loved God. It showed. A true man after God’s heart. I wish I could say I was able to mentor him on the field, and that may be somewhat true, but truly, I believe his life and walk with God taught me a little something too. I’m heartbroken that you’re gone, brotha, but I can’t wait to see you soon on those streets of gold!
Max truly is one of a kind. He has a heart of gold and is an amazing person. His light shines bright forever and always. He touched so many people with his genuine kind soul. I’m blessed to have been his friend.
The Blue’s have been family friends of ours since we were all in elementary school. My grandma would give Max, my sister, Kenzie, and myself a ride home after school almost everyday. When we heard of Max’s passing my family’s hearts and mine shattered. I quickly replayed memories in my head of us all growing up together. Max introduced me to paintball guns at a young age. I miss when we were younger and would have paintball wars in their parents backyard. He was always so kind, funny, and sweet. We talked about going shooting it the desert before he passed but unfortunately never had that chance. My family prays for comfort over all his family and friends who were fortunate enough to know him in this life. We find comfort in knowing he’s with the Lord now. It doesn’t make it easier but at least he had a real relationship with God. We will see you someday Max. We will always miss and love you.
I had the good fortune of hiring Max, he was everyone’s best friend and a dream to manage. He was promoted early and succeeded at every level. We became friends and I got to socialize with him outside of work where I discovered a truly awesome person. I broke down when I heard the news last year, but when I talk to people that we shared time with, we only smile. He still brings joy to my life, though it is bittersweet. I can only gather that he had an amazing family, and an amazing mother and father, because he was just such a quality person. My thanks to you and your husband for giving us someone who brings a smile to my face whenever I think about him. God bless.
I remember Max as a cheerful, helpful and genuine person who always had your back, a shoulder to cry on, or a smile that could light up a room. There are to many times that it was a joy being around Max and that’s what I’m going to choose to remember him for. Not for the unfortunate circumstances that took him away but the absolute best way his actions affected those around him. To the Blue family, my best regards go out to you in this trying time and Max will always be a stupendous person that accomplished so much in so little time.