He was born on a Southeastern Indiana farm to Chester L and Gladys M. (Johnson) Jinks on July 29, 1930. He spent his early years assisting his father with the crops and animals while attending the New Salem School where all twelve grades were taught. After finishing High School he entered Hanover College and completed his Bachelor's Degree in 1952. Since the Korean War was ongoing at that time and the draft still in effect, the dominating option for employment was military service.
Max entered the Air Force's Aviation Cadet Program at Greenville, MS in August 1952 and was commissioned a 2/Lt in September of the following year at Webb AFB, Big Spring, TX. His initial operational assignments were flying Air Defense fighters on Okinawa, Formosa, and at Sioux City, IA. While at the latter station he received orders to proceed to Stanford University to study "mathematics/digital computer option". He graduated in 1959 with a Master's of Science degree and thus altered his career path to primarily computer related activities.
The following years were filled by many interesting challenges: chasing high altitude research balloons and writing software to evaluate long-range missile guidance systems at Holloman AFB, NM; developing an automated Command and Control System for Headquarters, USAF at the Pentagon, expanding Command and Control software for the Hq. U. S. Strike Command at MacDill AFB, FL; putting out the fragmentary order for the 1000 fighter sorties flown daily in Viet Nam; participating in the studies to determine the future force structure of the USAF during a second tour at the Pentagon; and flying dignitaries around the country in C-131 aircraft as an extra duty. He accumulated over 4300 flying hours and was awarded several decorations including the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star. He then worked another fifteen years for three aerospace companies; Martin Marietta, Teledyne Brown Engineering and Rockwell International.
He has maintained a Colorado Springs residence since his Air Force retirement with 28 years of service in 1980. Max was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta college fraternity and the Masonic Lodge of Rushville, Indiana.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Allan R Jinks, a sister Sara L Jinks, all from Rushville, Indiana. His first wife of 42 years, Doris M. (Brandon) Jinks, died in 1999 and his second wife of 20 years, Margie M. Gayton (nee Romero), died in 2016. He is survived by a son, Andrew M Jinks and his wife Shannon, of Colorado Springs.
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