Gerald Max Felty

We lost a great man – Gerald Max Felty, passed away Wednesday afternoon, May 17, 2017, after a brief illness at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. He was 76 years old. He was born to Joe and Bessie Felty on October 29, 1940 in the small farming town of Paragould, Arkansas. He was the eighth of nine children. Max, as he preferred to be called, loved life and he lived to the fullest each opportunity God provided. His life was colorful and amazing. He always had a fascination with airplanes. Before graduating high school, he crop-dusted for the local neighbors. Then soon after high school graduation, he joined the United States Air Force and was career Air Force as a Flight Systems Engineer. However even this was not enough for Max. During his military career, he owned and operated a Charter Flight Service in Hawaii where he was a pilot and Flight Instructor. As an Airman, he volunteered for two tours of duty in Vietnam. He received many honors during his 23 years of service. Max also served as Pastor to many churches at various posts of duty. After retiring from Air Force, he tried on many hats as owner of a transmission shop, owner of an office supply business, farmer, artist, banjo picker, horse trainer, Mason and Shriner. During this time, he also met his life partner, Janis. They married and have worked tirelessly on a combined God-guided life mission of helping adults and children with speech deficits by opening two outpatient clinics in Sevier County and Max’s work with the Shiners complemented their mission by helping children with various birth defects. Max was a long-time member of Salem Baptist Church in Halls. Max was preceded in death by three brothers, Harold, Vernon and John Felty and one sister Wanda Rogers. Max leaves to cherish his memories, his wife, Janis, of Knoxville; his son, Jerry and daughter-in-law, Melinda, also of Knoxville; grandchildren, Courtney Roysdon of Crossville, Tn., Kyle and Katelynn, of Fayetteville, Ar.; three brothers, Bonnie Felty, Bill Felty, J.M. Felty, and one sister, Mary May. Max will also be loved and remembered by a large number of special nieces and nephews and cherished friends. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to HORSE HAVEN OF TENNESSEE, 2417 Reagan Road, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37931. The family will receive friends from 4-6pm Thursday at Mynatt Funeral Home Halls Chapel, with funeral service to follow at 6pm. Pastor Allen James and Pastor John Holland officiating. Family and friends will meet at 1:45pm Friday at East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery, on Gov. John Sevier Highway, for a 2pm interment service with full military honors.