Max Carldean Coleman was born in Charleston, Arkansas on April 18, 1914 to Ed and Daisy (Hunter) Coleman, both formerly of Arkansas, but moved to Wasco in the early 1930s to start farming. Max joined the Navy in 1933 where he saw time on the Yangsee River on a gun boat while the Japanese were shelling Shang-Hi. Max served on the USS Pennsylvania in 1936 off the Monterey coast when it was called in to search for the wreckage of the Acron lighter-than-airship after it went down. He was the last person alive that had anything to do with the Hindenburg when she blew up in May of 1937. He was going to weatherman school in Lakehurst, New Jersey when the Hindenburg was scheduled to arrive and he was to be part of the grounds crew that helped bring her in to mooring. Instead of helping to land her, he helped get survivors out from the flames. After his service was over, Max came to Wasco in the years when farming was just taking off in the area and in a few years he made a small farm into a successful venture, expanding every year until he farmed over 2000 acres. He was instrumental in bringing the mechanical cotton picker to the area; using fertilizer to help boost crop yields for the first time along with his dad; engineering a better cotton trailer with Russell Manufacturing in Shafter, that could handle the loads a cotton picker picked; and early use of weed control materials as they were developed. Max was also one of the first Kiwifruit growers in the 1970s, helping to pioneer that industry in this country. Max is preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Caren; two grandchildren, Aaron and Tim; and a wife, Vera. He is survived by a daughter, Cheryl of Calimesa, California; and a son, Ed of Bakersfield; along with seven grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; and a daughter-in-law, all of Bakersfield. A graveside service under the direction of Peters Funeral Home is scheduled for Thursday, February 28 at 2 pm, at Wasco Memorial Park, where Max will be laid to rest.