Obituary of Max Goldman

Max Goldman, age 90, died on December 24, 2014 after a single bad day. Max was predeceased by his wife of 50 years, Arlene Segal. He is survived by his three sons, Mike, Paul, and David, his daughter-in-law Janet, as well as his three grandchildren, Daniel, Brian, and Shauna. Max was the youngest of three sons of Minnie and Joseph Goldman of Tartu Estonia. His immediate family, including Max’s oldest siblings, Morris and Willie, emigrated to the United States from Estonia in 1924 to escape bolshevism and to join Minnie’s father and brothers in Brooklyn, New York. Minnie and Joseph were the last of Minnie’s siblings to escape from Russia. Max was born on March 15, 1924, approximately one month after his family came to the United States. Max’s family lived in very modest circumstances. Unfortunately for Max, his parents died when he was a teenager. As a result of their early demise, Max was raised by Minnie’s loving uncles and aunts who had the good judgment to imbue in Max a love for country and a work ethic, both of which became major tenants of his life. As a young man, Max developed a keen interest in the sciences. His educational pursuits were interrupted when he volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. After initially being stationed in Bournemouth England, Max landed in Normandy, France. He participated in many famous engagements including D Day and the Battle of the Bulge. Max was honorably discharged as a corporal from the 509th Fighter Squadron. Throughout his entire life, Max was extremely proud of his service for this country in its most important hours. When asked about how he survived so many difficult battles, he responded with his typical quick wit that it was a funny thing that he was always about a week behind. After the war, he returned to Brooklyn and enrolled in City College of New York where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering. In the spring of 1951, he met Arlene Rene Segal of Chatham, New Jersey and they were married shortly thereafter. The young couple moved to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania so that Max could attend Carnegie Institute of Technology which became part of what is today known as Carnegie Mellon University and pursued Masters and Doctorate Degrees in Chemical Engineering. Max’s pursuit of academic excellence became the source of inspiration to his sons and many of his nieces and nephews who all achieved college and, in many cases, advanced degrees. After earning his Masters and Doctorate degrees, Max went to work for E.I. Dupont De Nemours and Company in Buffalo, New York and Wilmington, Delaware. At Dupont, Max had an exceptional work ethic which resulted in the development of plastics and films. Max was the developer of several of the key process patents that are still being used today in the production of Mylar and extruded plastic bottles. Over his career, Max was the inventor of sixteen United States patents. Until his last years, he had an unquenchable thirst to make new and different inventions. After leaving, Dupont, Max worked for an affiliate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, then Huyck Mills in Rensselaer, New York and WR Grace in Duncan, South Carolina prior to joining the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Begrudgingly, at age 75, Max elected to take early retirement from New York State since he believed that work and work effort were extremely important and leisure was somewhat irrelevant. Throughout his entire life and during many difficult periods, Max was a stand-up guy who could always be counted upon to help his family and friends without regard to personal benefit. Despite his academic background, Max typically befriended the working man at the various manufacturing facilities that he worked at. He never gave any indication of his academic and professional achievements, opting only to indicate that he was a kid from Brooklyn. Max was extremely proud of his family, but perhaps his single greatest achievement was his determination to be sure that his children pursued and achieved academic and professional excellence. Choice was not an alternative in his household as he and Arlene pushed and cajoled their three children into becoming lawyers. Michael and David became patent lawyers in furtherance of his inventive interests. Upon realizing that his son Paul had no aptitude for the sciences, Max pushed him into obtaining a CPA license and law degree. His primary thought process throughout his entire life was to be sure that his kids had successful professional careers beyond his own, and he took that job as his most serious mission. Dinners at the family house were not a relaxing place for his children or guests since he sought to ensure that excellence in a chosen career was the primary goal for all. Notwithstanding his academic and professional focus, at the toughest time, Max exhibited the highest character when he cared for Arlene during a long affliction with pancreatic cancer. He made sure that Arlene was able to die at their house surrounded by her family. After her passing, Max continued with his attempts at inventions and developments. Yet, his modest background came out in his every day life as he simply enjoyed staying at the house watching movies and living in the Capital District region with his family. He was proud to be a New Yorker and a citizen of this great country, greatly appreciating the educational and work opportunities provided to him as the son of an immigrant family. Those who knew Max realized that he had a very good sense of humor that was a bit off beat but which was his disguise for deflecting how important his family was to him. He will be greatly missed by his family. A private interment will be held at the Gerald B. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery on December 30, 2014. Donations may be made to the Daughters of Sarah Nursing Home in Albany, N.Y. whose staff gave Max dignified care during his stay while enjoying and appreciating his humor.