Sesser-Valier to honor Max Crain

In recognition of his career as a successful businessman, the Sesser-Valier Community Unit School District No. 196 Board of Education and Administration will present their 2017 Distinguished Alumni Award to Max R. Crain.
Crain will receive the at the Sesser-Valier High School graduation May 18. Crain will also be publicly honored on the Sesser-Valier High School Wall of Fame located in the high school commons area.
Born in October 1993 to Orville "Pete" and Alreva Crain, Crain is a lifelong resident of the Sesser area. He married Pauline Long in 1952, and they had two daughters, Meindy and Terry. Pauline passed in 1992, and Crain married Donna Simpson in 1994, giving him two stepchildren, Gary Vancil and Shannon Avery. Max has seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Throughout his life, Crain has been a farmer and cattleman. He and his grandfather, Stephen Laur, established Egyptian Farms in 1950. He has shown cattle, not only in Illinois, but in 13 other states and at most major cattle shows in the Midwest. He has had state and national champion Red Poll cattle. Raising Red Poll cattle remains a passion of his to this day. Crain traveled all over the U.S. showing cattle while working full time for the forestry department.
Crain always has been a strong advocate for education. He was instrumental in the forming of the K-12 district and was active in the decision to help attract the Valier Grade School and High School districts to join the Sesser Unit School and forming a larger, more viable school district. Crain served on the Sesser-Valier Board of Education from 1958 to 1972 and drove a school bus for the district for 20 years.