Maxwell Rodgers memorial page
Max Rodgers (Courtesy of Jeff Bynum Photo)
Maxwell William Rodgers, 21, passed away on November 16, 2024. Rodgers, who studied games development at the University of Utah, had worked as a web development intern for the Web Support & Usability (WSU) team in UIT University Support Services (USS) since January 2023.
If you have a remembrance or photos you’d like to share, please contact stratcomm@it.utah.edu.
Remembrances
“Max was an amazing, intelligent, quirky, and kind person. He thoroughly enjoyed digging into new projects, and I could always count on him to come up with a creative solution to any problem I threw his way. It was particularly great to see that little sparkle in his eye whenever he solved a problem that he had been struggling with. His stories about Goblin (his cat) and the trials and failures of his aquatic pursuits always made me chuckle. I believe Max was on a path to do great things, and I feel fortunate to have been able to watch some of that progression. He was a delight to work with, and we are heartbroken that he is no longer with us.”
“Max had a wide range of interests. The day he told me he had become a shrimp farmer, I knew we had a unique individual on our hands.
There was also the story of his foiled attempt to get an electric catfish. He bought
a previously used tank that, in hindsight, was actually a terrarium tank for reptiles
and was not meant to be used for fish. He filled it up with water while he waited
for the catfish to arrive, but later that night, he heard a couple of loud cracking
noises. Seconds later, the tank burst, and water went EVERYWHERE in his apartment.
After spending hours cleaning up the water, he ended up cancelling the catfish order.
But even THAT did not deter his spirit of adventure! He just focused it on other pursuits,
haha.”
~ Shellie Eide, University Support Services
“Max was an integral part of our team, not just through his hard work and dedication,
but through his kind spirit and uplifting presence. He left a lasting impact on our
projects and workplace culture, while his sense of humor brought us countless laughs
and smiles. We are heartbroken by his tragic loss and will carry his memory with us
always.”
~ Barb Iannucci, University Support Services
“Going to the Festival of Trees has been a family tradition for my mom and me since I was a little kid, but this year marked our second time decorating and donating a tree for it. Honestly, it felt almost like fate that we didn’t have someone to donate in memory of when Max passed. Our theme, ‘Nightmare Before Christmas,’ seemed so fitting. Like the movie, Max was such a unique, kind, and giving person. Donating a tree in his name became a way for me to honor him and, in a way, helped me process some of my own grief over his tragic passing.”
~ Emily Jacoby, University Support Services
Rodgers’ technicolor shrimp. (Courtesy of the Rodgers family)
The Funko Pop the UIT Web Support & Usability team created for Rodgers' 21st birthday. He died before the team could give it to him. (Jesse Drake)
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” tree that Emily Jacoby and her mother donated on behalf of Rodgers for the annual Festival of Trees. It raised $1,750 at auction for Primary Children’s Hospital. (Courtesy of Emily Jacoby)