Max William Doering aged 36 died unexpectedly in Denver Colorado on March 12, 2023.

Max was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, William and Dolores Spangler, paternal grandparents, Arthur and Mary Doering, uncle, Arthur C. Doering, aunts, Kathy Zemaitis and Gayle Onasch, devoted father, Max Henry Doering and best friend in this world, Kirby Dunn.

Max leaves behind his grieving mother and stepfather, Valerie and Ashley Livingston, loving siblings, Marc Alan/Claire Doering and nephew Vaugn Henry Doering, Erik Livingston, stepsister Nicole/Joseph Gettings and nephew Alex Gettings. Max is also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins, and numerous friends who loved him so much.

Max crashed into this world two weeks ahead of schedule on July 15, 1986, during a tornado warning which foreshadowed the way he would lead his life. Max had a picture-perfect childhood growing up with his brother Marc and later sister Grace in the suburbs of Forest Hills playing flashlight tag with the neighbor kids and wakeboarding on the Thornapple River. Holidays and birthdays were full of fun and laughter with many cousins, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles. Max attended Forest Hills Public schools and graduated in 2004 from Forest Hills Central where he was a tenacious soccer player, golfer, and wrestler. While growing up, Max loved spending time with his family on the mountains of Colorado as a daredevil snowboarder as well as vacationing as a teen with his dad and brother in the Caribbean and on Long Lake in Traverse City. Max loved his friends intensely and wanted so much to be loved in return.

Max graduated from the Grand Rapids Fire Fighter training program and continued his studies at Lansing Community College. Max later found his passion in studying and graduating from Grand Rapids Community College with an Associate's Degree in addiction Studies.

Max was a loving soul who found joy in helping others. He volunteered each month at God's Kitchen in Grand Rapids while a teenager and participated in a mission trip to Haiti when he was 16 playing soccer with boys in the mountains of Verette and giving away his prized beanie baby collection to wide eyed children. He was a voracious reader, loved helping with landscaping projects and working with his father.

Max was the sort of kid who could either energize you or exhaust you just being around him because he was so curious and extreme in everything he did. He did nothing in moderation. His extreme tendencies coupled with internal anxiety led to alcohol abuse in his late teens and dangerous drugs later on. Max struggled with addiction for several years and this worsened after the death of his father in 2021. Max willingly entered a detox rehabilitation facility in Chicago in December of 2022 with guarded success. Max relocated to Denver Colorado, January 11, 2023, with the dream of starting fresh in the mountains. Max was so excited for this new chapter in his life and said he loved how it felt to have a clear head. Max faithfully attended intensive outpatient therapy, started a job, and worked to create new sober friendships. His world and ours collapsed on March 12th when he suffered a fatal relapse. Max always reminded us that "we didn't cause it and we couldn't cure it". He kept a positive attitude and did his best to hide his suffering while continuing to put others' needs before his.

We would like to thank the caring and supportive staff at Footprints to Recovery in Elgin Illinois and Denver Colorado for the loving embrace they gave to Max as well as the support they provided to our family.

We pray Max is out of pain and at peace with the Lord.

A Funeral Service will take place at Zaagman Memorial Chapel on Saturday, April 8th at 11:00 AM with Monsignor Ernest Schneider officiating. A lunch and additional visitation with family will be held following the service. If one wishes to watch the service via livestream, please go to this link: https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTY3OTUzMTg4NTI0MjQ2OCZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw==

"Life takes you unexpected places, love brings you home."

SAMHSA's National HELPLINE: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)