Elliott Cowan said his son, Max, was a giving, kind person who could put others at ease. His son also was the happiest kid he knew and was always able to make others laugh, he said.

"He was a kid who was born with a smile and died with a smile," Elliott Cowan said.

Max Julian Lentz Cowan, of Columbia, died Aug. 8, 2008. He was 16. Max had come down with a mild fever a week before he died, his father said. A cause of death has not yet been determined.

Born Oct. 3, 1991, in Washington, D.C., to Elliott Cowan and Sally Ann Lentz, Max attended River Hill High School, where he was entering his senior year.

Lentz, of Clarksville, described her son as a happy-go-lucky practical jokester and an incredible person.

"He was every mother's dream," she said. "I often thought he was too good to be true."

At River Hill, Max was a high-performing student who played the alto sax and was involved in the marching and jazz bands, Elliott Cowan said.

Max had plans to spend a year in Israel after high school and then attend college to study engineering, his father added.

Max's classmate and fellow jazz band member Nick Woodhouse, 17, of Clarksville, described Max as a person who approached life with energy and passion.

"It's not going to be the same without Max," said Woodhouse, who said he and Max had been friends since they were 6 years old.

Outside of school, Max served as president of the Laurel chapter of the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization, a Jewish youth organization.

Lentz said her son was very dedicated to the BBYO group.

"He really went out of his way to make every one of those kids feel important and be a part of the group," she said.

Max's 19-year-old brother, Jacob Cowan, said his brother was charismatic and had a gift for forging relationships.

"Everyone felt like Max was their best friend," Jacob Cowan said. "... We had such a special connection. It wasn't just a brother relationship. We were great friends, too."

In addition to his parents and brother, Max is survived by a stepmother, Karina Prizont Cowan, of Columbia; a stepfather, Joel Goodman, of Clarksville; a sister, Alana Prizont Cowan, of Columbia; and his grandparents, Charles and Joan Lentz, of Lancaster, Pa., and Shirley Cowan, of Wheaton.

He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Arthur Cowan.

Funeral services were held Aug. 10 at The Meeting House in Oakland Mills, in Columbia.

A memorial service was held Aug. 11 at Oseh Shalom Synagogue, in Laurel. Interment followed at Columbia Memorial Park.

In addition, a teen memorial service is slated for Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the Columbia Jewish Congregation, at 5855 Robert Oliver Place, in Columbia.

Memorial donations may be sent to B'nai B'rith Youth Organization, Oseh Shalom Chapter 5261, c/o Oseh Shalom Synagogue, 7515 Olive Branch Way, Laurel, MD 20707.

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