Riverside Funeral Home / Albuquerque, New Mexico
Max passed away surrounded by his loving family on Tuesday August 28, 2018. He was preceded in death by his son Michael in 2015. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Elida Gutierrez Cisneros, four siblings Frank Cisneros, Robert and wife Carmen Cisneros, Vivian Lujan and Lupe Kraus. His children: Max Cisneros Jr, Victoria Cannaday and husband Gary, Mark Cisneros and Donna. Grand children Max Cisneros III and wife Emily, Alexandria Cisneros and Kenny, Jonathan Cisneros, Mara Cisneros and Chris, Alyssa Cisneros, Ayla Cisneros Wilder and Avery and Austin Cannaday. Great Grandchildren, Andrew, Matthew, Rachel, Raquelle, Jonathan Mark, Josiah and Aria Rae.
Max was a jack of all trades and never faced a task that intimidated him. After a year of living on his own and working in the California ship yards, he talked his mother, Soledad in to allowing him to enlist in the US Marine Corps in 1945. His active service dates were 1945 to 1947 and 1950 to 1952. Making him a Veteran of WWII and The Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1952 as a cold weather instructor.
In 1954, he completed x-ray technician training at the Lovelace Clinic in Albuquerque. While at Lovelace he and Elida were privileged to be a part of the x-ray team that conducted exams on the first 7 U.S. Astronauts: Grissom, Schirra, Glenn, Cooper, Carpenter, Shepard and Slayton.
In the early 1960’s he went to work for DePuy Medical Instruments, introducing the first artificial hip and knee replacements in the Southwest.
He subsequently attended SMU Perkins School of Theology. Where he was ordained as a Deacon of the Methodist Church with charges in Bethel Methodist Church in Moriarty, Santa Fe Methodist, Wagon Mound Methodist and Trinity Methodist in Albuquerque. In 2007 he was named Layman of the Year for the Rio Grande Conference of the United Methodist Church.
As a member of the Screen Actors Guild of America (SAG), Max had speaking parts in such movies, Convoy starring Kris Kristofferson and Ali McGraw, Thomasina and Bushrod, Captain Vargas, The Take and Return of the Lone Ranger. He also worked as a location scout for the movie “My Name is Nobody”, David Bowie’s “The Man Who Fell to Earth” and Once Upon a Time in the West.
A prolific and multi-talented artist starting in the 1970’s and well in to the 2000’s, he worked in several mediums including: painting, pottery, jewelry, wood carvings and metal.
In the 1970’s Max served as Program Director for the Villa Hispana at the NM State Fair where he helped build it in to one of the premier attractions at the Fair. In addition, he traveled the state recruiting NM Artists and promoting NM Arts and Crafts.
In the 1980’s Max served as an assistant to Albuquerque Mayor, David Rusk. He started as a Community liaison (trouble shooter). With subsequent assignments such as: Assistant to the Sunport Director, Public Information Officer for the Solid Waste Department. During this time he worked on the transition of the Albuquerque Sunport to International status, headed the first certification for the Aviation Police, development of the Montessa Park and Cerro Colorado landfills and the fencing of irrigation ditches in Albuquerque’s South Valley.
From 1991 to 2008, Max dabbled as a boxing trainer and professional ring owner. He worked in various capacities with such notable local boxers as Bob Foster, Johnny Tapia, Danny Romero, Holly Holms and Tommy Cordova.
In 2005, Max founded the Desert Ministries in an effort prevent deaths and suffering along the U.S. Border with Mexico. The program provided water, hygienic kits, first aid kits and blankets at remote locations along the border from Laredo, TX to Mexicali, CA.
In 2012 declining health forced him to turn over the ministry to other entities who continues the work today.
It is ironic that a man who helped pioneer joint replacements would suffer complications from knee replacement surgery leading to his declining health.
Max was an avid hunter, fisherman and outdoor enthusiast. He personified the motto “Semper Fi”, as he stuck by his family through good times and bad.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations in his name to: El Buen Samaritano UMC, 700 Granite NW Albuquerque, NM 87102 or to the NM Cancer Center Foundation, 4901 Lang Ave. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109
CISNEROS, Max (Maximo Cisneros)
Born: 6/8/1927, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A.
Died: 8/28/2018, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A.
Max Cisneros’ westerns – actor:
Thomasina & Bushrod – 1974 (Kane)
The Legend of the Lone Ranger 1981 (Second Chief)