Obituary for Max K. Walker, Jr. 33°

Max K. Walker, Jr. passed away in his home on April 20, 2026. Max was born March 20, 1945, to Max K. Walker, Sr. and Mary Elizabeth (Dye) Walker.

A lifetime native of Elkhart, he attended Elkhart High School. Thereafter he obtained a bachelor's degree from Hanover College in 1967 and Juris Doctorate at Indiana University Mc Kinney School of Law in Indianapolis in 1970.

Max was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity (Tau Chapter) where he made many lifelong friends. At Hanover he pursued an alternative path of education, in addition to the classroom. This included selling discount textbooks, beer, and other entrepreneurial enterprises not fit for publication which resulted in his parents becoming far better acquainted with the the dean than they would have preferred. During law school, Max developed a love of the law (though he didn’t always follow it).

After moving back to Elkhart, Max began his legal career with Whitney Slabaugh and Michael Cosentino as both an associate in their private practice and as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney. Max excelled in both roles, eventually becoming a partner in Slabaugh, Cosentino, Arko, Walker & Shewmaker, as well as Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Elkhart County. Though neither he nor they would admit it, Max helped shape the professional lives of many Elkhart County attorneys through his mentorship.

Prior to 2000, Max left that firm and the Prosecutor’s Office to open his own firm, Walker & Parker, with attorney R. Michael Parker. Max excelled as a domestic relations litigator earning a deep respect, and in some cases, fear, among his colleagues. The stories of his exploits both within and outside the courtroom, many of which may be unfit for publication, are numerous and mostly unbelievable to those who did not know Max personally. Max retired from his law practice in 2019 but maintained his license to practice law until his death. He remained active by coming to the office, not only to visit, but to obtain his mail because as some may know, Max did not believe in installing “house numbers” on his home for mail delivery.

Max, or to some Kray (one of many monikers by which he was known), had a number of diverse hobbies. Max excelled as a wood worker, building a variety of well-crafted furniture, boxes, and clocks, most of which were decorated with his signature hand-carved mallard ducks. He enjoyed sharing his work with friends and family, often giving them as gifts and donating a special creation every two years to the United Methodist Women as his “ ticket to heaven”. He was an accomplished gardener, delighting in giving away his delicious produce to friends and family, usually in creative and consternating ways. His preeminent hobby was spending time outdoors hunting and fishing. While Max enjoyed hunting in all forms, his true love was waterfowl hunting. He spent a substantial portion of his life chasing ducks and geese across the United States and Canada. In the off season, he could usually be found on Lake Michigan trolling for salmon or lake trout. Max was truly at home on the water, whether fishing on the “big lake,” in a duck blind, canoe, maintains his pond for his geese on C.R.4 or aimlessly patrolling the upper St. Joe River for hours on end. Other hobbies included: rearing exotic and native waterfowl, including raising an abandoned nest of mallard eggs on his dining room table that a neighbor had found and brought to him.

Max delighted in implementing schemes that ranged from simple to sophisticated, to tease and beleaguer his friends, family and colleagues. His niece, Elizabeth, and nephew, Carlos, enjoyed returning the favor of onions in the ears, etc. Some of his friends were equally creative in revenge.

Max was a 33rd Degree Mason and member of Kane Lodge, performing in degree work for many years and a Rotarian for many years. He worked long and hard to set up very lucrative Ducks Unlimited banquets and auctions to raise money for duck habitat. He enjoyed over thirty years of sobriety, finding peace, serenity and many supportive friends through his involvement in A.A.

Max was a truly unique individual whose character and persona are hard to define within bounds of ink and paper. To many he was an irreverent, unrepentant, and not overly concerned for decorum.To those that knew him on a personal level, the foregoing was absolutely true. However, he was also deeply devoted to living up to his commitments as an Eagle Scout and 33rd degree Mason by helping his community through public service. Max spent decades developing a reputation as a cutthroat litigator but also serving his community as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney and through various charitable endeavors to which he devoted substantial time and resources over the years. These include, but are not limited to: his work with the Elkhart City Bar Association’s Scholarship Foundation, providing college scholarships to numerous Elkhart youth in need, his work in various roles with the Pioneer Trails District and Lasalle Council, within Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America), to provide local youth with access to scout and transition them into successful members and leaders of the community. Max was fiercely loyal to his friends and maintained an unquestioned reputation for honesty and character amongst his colleagues. He will be truly missed by his family, friends, and community.

Max was preceded in death by his parents, Max and Mary Elizabeth Walker, and brother-in-law, George W. Biddlecome. He is survived by his dear friend of 54 years, Carol Harvey, his executive administrator, paralegal and esteemed friend, Jesi Miller, her namesake/his beloved cat, Jesi, his sisters, Mona Biddlecome and Mary Krue Esteves, brother-in-law, Carlos Esteves, several nieces and nephews, and a flock of maladjusted African Geese (which are “Free to a Good Home,” or to anybody willing to attempt their capture). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to the Elkhart City Bar Association Scholarship Foundation or The Pioneer Trails District of Scouting America.

His ashes will be interred at Rice Cemetery.

A Celebration of Life is planned for May 26, 2026 between 4:00p.m. to 7:00 p.m., to be held at the Wellfield Botanical Gardens in Elkhart. Please bring your stories and memories of Max to share.