Max H. BICE 

The man who helped put several Puget Sound radio-TV stations on the air, Max 
H. Bice, passed away on November 18 at the age of 86 at St. Joseph's Hospital in 
Tacoma. Born August 29, 1916 in Toppenish, WA, Max moved with his family to 
Western Washington in the mid-1920's. At the age of 15, Max began his lifelong 
career and passion in electronics as a licensed amateur radio (HAM) operator with 
the call letters W7AEA. In 1936, he began working in radio in Seattle while 
pursuing a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington. 
From 1938 - 1948 he worked in programming, news and as KMO's Chief 
Engineer. In 1948, he began a 25-year association with The News Tribune by 
designing and building KTNT-FM (now KBSG.) Around 1950, he built KTNT-
AM and in 1953, helped put KTNT-TV, Channel 11, on the air. Later he helped 
establish Cable TV Puget Sound, the forerunner of TCI Cable of Tacoma, now 
AT&T Cable Services. He pioneered Radio Page of Tacoma. Max eventually 
became VP and General Manager of the News Tribune's electronics division. 
From 1973 until 2001, Max ran MB Communications in Gig Harbor, a broadcast 
consulting and marine electronics company. He co-founded the Peninsula School 
District's noncommercial radio station KGHP-FM in 1987 with Milt Boyd and 
Keith Stiles. Always active in industry affairs, he served on numerous state and 
national boards and committees, including National Association of Broadcasters, 
where he served as chairman of the NAB Code Board; past chairman of the board 
of Washington State Association of Broadcasters; and state chairman for the FCC 
Emergency Broadcast System. He was advisor to Pacific Lutheran University's 
School of Communications, Bates Vocational Technical School, Pierce County 
Educational TV, and served as Civilian Communications Coordinator for US 
Army Air Corps during WWII and Radio Officer for Civil Defense for the city of 
Tacoma. He was a member of the Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers; 
the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers; Past President of the 
North Pacific Marine Radio Council, International Society of Broadcast and 
Television Executives; Broadcast Pioneers; and the Society of Broadcast 
Engineers. Max was an excellent seaman, and served as Board member and VP 
for the Recreational Boating Association of Washington. He also enjoyed 22 years 
in the Coast Guard Auxiliary during which he was Communications Officer for 8 
years for the 13th District, covering Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. 
Civic organizations will remember him as President of the Tacoma Kiwanis Club 
and Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival; President of the Tacoma Radio Club; and 
Commodore of the Gig Harbor Yacht Club. He also served as Chairman of the 
Industrial Bureau of the Tacoma Area Chamber of Commerce; committee 
chairman for the Board of the UGN (now United Way); chairman of the Tacoma 
USO Council; and as a member of other organizations responsible for civil and 
emergency preparedness in Gig Harbor. Max married Margaret Jane (MJ) Burrus 
of Olympia on June 29, 1941. They raised their family in a log house on the 
shores of Cherry Cove in Rosedale. Max was preceded in death by his daughter, 
Marilyn, and his beloved wife, MJ. He is survived by his two daughters, Kathryn 
Gallaher (Jim) and Luann Bice (John Holmes); his sister, Carol Ricketson; his 
half-brother, Delmar Bice of Yakima and half-sister, Dorothy Mead of Selah; his 
granddaughter, Victoria Gordon (Brad); and grandsons, Ian and Dylan Holmes; 
stepgrandaughter, Serin Anderson (Mike) and stepgreatgrandaughter, Kasey 
Anderson. A Celebration of His Life will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, 
Nov. 24th, at the Gig Harbor Yacht Club, 8209 Stinson Ave., Gig Harbor, 98335. 
Hawaiian shirts are optional. Memorial contributions are to be made to the 
Peninsula Hawk Scholarship Fund, PO Box 283, Wauna, WA 98395; please 
designate the Max Bice Fund. 

Published in print on 11/22/2002. 
Seattle Times