Max Kavet Guyton passed away on February 18, 2026, from having the biggest heart you could have.
He was the best father, husband, brother, friend, bandmate, ski buddy, dog dad, road trip captain, internet deep diver, tea spiller, hype man, home chef, tech aficionado, video game expert, and music discoverer anyone could ever hope for.
Max graduated from the University of Vermont in 2011 and, during the pandemic, returned to the Green Mountains from Boston with his wife, Mikaila (Waters). Settling into the Mad River Valley, he tapped into an incredible community of musicians and music appreciators. He started two bands locally: Running in Circles, playing covers and originals, and spOOph, a Phish nostalgia act. He was an accomplished bass player who found true joy in making music – not just for but with others.
His ideal day would have been to make breakfast for Mikaila while she fed their five-month-old baby, Nora. Then he’d take his two Newfoundlands for a backwoods adventure, sneak out for a couple of runs at Mount Ellen or hike Mount Adams, and come home to tackle a difficult software engineering problem for his work. Afterward, he’d have a delicious meal, work on a jigsaw puzzle, and then judiciously transcribe the bass line of Phish’s “Fluffhead,” cobbled together from as many different versions as he could find.
Max began skiing in his 20s, jumping into the sport with the same fervent passion he had for everything else. He'd return home from a few runs at Sugarbush to regale his family with stories of the people he’d met on the chairlift, what runs they’d skied together, and how nice it was to pick up a new buddy even if just briefly. He loved to try out a technical moment, but always had the grace to laugh if it didn’t go as planned. He would simply try again.
He leaves behind a legacy of kindness, joy, and enthusiasm that he spread to everyone he met. Max soaked up all that life had to offer, creating community and connection across ski lifts, jam sessions, dinner tables, and late-night deep dives.
In addition to his wife and baby daughter, he is survived by his mother and stepfather, Suzanne Kavet and Bill Northrup; father and his father’s partner, Paul Guyton and Cameron Graves; sister and sister-in-law, Emily and Denise Bilbao and their children, Ari and Charlie; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Colin and Stephanie Waters and their daughter, Carolyn; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Sheila and Michael Waters; many aunts, uncles, cousins; and some truly incredible friends.
All who were touched by Max’s big heart are welcome to a joyous celebration of life on Saturday, March 7, at 1 p.m., at Afterthoughts in Waitsfield. RSVPs by March 1 are appreciated at https://pp.events/bxwRqWVD. Contributions to the family support fund can be made at https://gofund.me/9e070c76d.
