Your Turn: In memory of Max
Ellen Mason, a volunteer at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport, has reported that Max, the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum cat who greeted visitors at the gatehouse for years, has passed away. Below is a poem she wrote in his honor.
Our Max, the Vanderbilt Cat
A sad day has fallen,
Enshrouded in gray.
Cherished and honored,
Our Max passed away.
Max was our mascot,
Our Vanderbilt cat.
He lived on the grounds,
But was much more than that.
He greeted our patrons
From his perch near the gate,
By the Vanderbilt gatehouse,
Entrance to this estate.
His special companion,
A guard here named Ed,
Brushed Max and loved him,
Making sure he was fed.
He bought Max a house
For those cold wintry days,
Where he snuggled inside,
Staring with his cat gaze.
Max lived life to the max,
Living up to his name.
For the guards at the gatehouse,
It just won’t be the same.
— By Ellen Mason, Stony Brook
