On May 17, 2026, Max Don Barnett, 89, entered into eternity with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, whom he loved and served for over 65 years. Max’s family finds peace in the certainty of his salvation; he lived by the truth that heaven is not earned through works, but received through grace, often citing Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Max was born on December 29, 1936, in Littlefield, TX, to Wayne O. and Lucy G. Barnett. He grew up in Fieldton and Littlefield alongside his brother, Bob, graduating from Littlefield High School in 1954.

His calling began to take shape as a student at Texas A&M. From that time forward, his greatest ambition was to help others commit their lives to Christ and grow into lifelong disciple-makers. After graduating, he attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, where he met and married the love of his life, Sandra Kaye Tilley, in 1965.

In 1967, Max and Sandra moved to Norman, Oklahoma, where he began a landmark 37 1/2-year tenure as the Baptist Student Union (BSU) Director at the University of Oklahoma. Even after his formal retirement in 2004, Max’s mission never wavered. He completed his Doctor of Ministry degree, taught at both Midwestern and Southwestern Baptist Seminaries, and served as the Director of Collegiate Ministries in Colorado for 11 years. He spent his final years as he had spent his youth: in obedience to the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Sandra; his son, Brent, and daughter-in-law, Brenda; and his grandchildren, Blake Barnett (and wife Rachel) of Kingwood TX, Katherine Massey (and husband Andrew) of Rowlett, TX, Caroline Rimer (and husband David) of Charlottesville, VA, and Brooke Strawn (and husband Ryan) of Rockford, IL

Max lived with the perspective that earthly life is brief compared to the vastness of eternity. He spent his days loving, helping, and praying for thousands of students and colleagues. Today, there are people across the globe whose lives were forever changed by this "simple man" who loved Jesus and loved people.

A memorial service will be held at 1 PM, Friday June 12, 2026, at Southern Hills Baptist Church located at 8601 S. Pennsylvania Ave in Oklahoma City.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Campus Ministry Development Foundation/SWDF, PO Box 2100, Norman, OK 73070, or the OU Baptist Collegiate Ministry, 1203 Elm Ave., Norman, OK 73072.