Max was born on April 17, 1918, to B.A. and Matie Van Metre Smith in Clemons, Iowa. He was raised on the family farm and graduated from Liberty School, the first consolidated school in Iowa. In 1938 he graduated from the Chillicothe Business College in Missouri. He worked at Rath Packing Company in Waterloo as a hog buyer before he was drafted into the U.S. Army in April of 1941. He was stationed in the European and North African Theatres and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He served as a Battalion Sergeant Major and was awarded the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. Following the war he returned home and graduated from Iowa State University in 1949. He moved to Grinnell in 1950 and he served as President of the Poweshiek County National Bank from 1966 until 1983. Max served on the boards of Grinnell General Hospital, the Miracle Recreation Company, General Telephone Co. of the Midwest, Greater Grinnell Development, Brenton Banks, Inc, Brenton Bank of Grinnell and the Knoxville Community National Bank. He was Past President of the Grinnell Jaycees, the Fortnightly Club and the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce and served on the boards of the Grinnell United Way, the Grinnell Historical Museum, the Grinnell Area Arts Council, the Grinnell Kiwanis Club, Friends of Stewart Library, the Grinnell School System and Iowa Humanities. He was appointed by Governor Robert D. Ray to the Judicial Nominating Commission and chaired a fund drive to locate the Iowa Peace Institute in Grinnell and served as its state treasurer. He also served on Civil Service Commission in Grinnell and was President of the Mayflower Community Resident's Association. He also was a 50- year member and Lay Speaker of the Grinnell United Methodist Church. He was a volunteer for Hospice, the Grinnell 2000 and Friends of IPTV and a member of the Grinnell Garden Club. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Rockhill Smith of Grinnell. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Delores Larson Smith; and they are survived by one son, Bruce (Lisa) Smith of Plainfield, Illinois; one daughter, Karna (David) Bosman of Urbandale; four grandchildren, Chandra and Terence Smith and Emily and Annette Bosman; five step sons; and one brother, Gene (Eleanor) Smith of Indianola. Memorials may be directed to Grinnell Regional Hospice or to Grinnell Regional Medical Center.