EVERETT — Laurence Maynard’s personal motto was “family first” way before Dr. Phil ever said it.
Maynard, a longtime Everett resident, was a firm believer in family values and endeavored to show that love and devotion to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
According to his granddaughter Christi Dolleman, there was plenty of laughter, too.
“He was a very witty man,” Dolleman said. “He would open The Herald, turn to the obits and say aloud, ‘Let’s see who I beat out today.’ “
In fact, it could be said that he was born under comedic circumstances.
According to the book “The Maynards in Montana” by grandson Bruce Barcott, he was born in a chicken coop, providing an endless source of family satire.
Maynard died Dec. 8. He was 95.
Though Maynard was a longtime Everett resident, he initially came to the area by way of Montana while the family was seeking a move to Bellingham in 1923. However, Maynard fell ill with typhoid, and the family stayed the night in Forest Park.
For Maynard, one night became the rest of his life. He graduated from Everett High School, receiving the Rotary Achievement Award, and went on to attend the University of Washington, joining ROTC.
It was shortly after his time at the UW that he met his future wife, Evelyn, while they were both employed at the Everett Savings and Loan. A company dinner and dance was approaching, and the company rule was that employees could not bring other employees as dates.
Maynard took a chance, broke the rules and invited Evelyn anyway.
It wasn’t too long afterward that they got married, and they later had three children.
Maynard also was an entrepreneur, founding Maynard Construction. Owning and operating his own business presented many challenges that he not only overcame, but did so with imagination.
One such project was to refrigerate the Ross Dam along the Skagit River. The cement that was used to pour the dam was in danger of overheating and would eventually crack if it did not have an adequate cooling system.
This was a problem, but to Maynard, it sounded like an opportunity, and after submitting the right plans, he won the bid.
For a contest in 1959, Maynard constructed a “House of the Future,” which had a pool, intercom system, carport and basketball court.
After his house won the contest, he did what anyone would do: He moved into it.
Family was important to him. Every Sunday there was a roast beef dinner, and every Christmas there was a gathering for the extended family.
And then there were family vacations, which, according to Dolleman, were as spontaneous and fun as her grandfather.
One year Maynard told the family to prepare for a California vacation, and instantly the three children were alight with excitement, Dolleman said. They imagined palm trees, movie stars and warm beaches, she said.
What they got was something completely different.
“According to my mother, they drove to the border between Oregon and California, then once they were in California they all piled out and celebrated,” Dolleman said. “They danced for a little bit and cheered, then got back in and came home.”
Maynard was also a devout churchgoer, attending First Methodist Church in Everett for 82 years. He held various positions in the church and served as the project chairman for the church’s new building because of his experience in the construction field. It was there that he met the second love of his life after Evelyn passed away. After asking his family’s permission, he began dating Frances Walters.
Maynard is survived by a daughter, Mary Barcott, and her husband, Jim; and a son, Jim Maynard, and his wife, Kay. He was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn, and a daughter, Janet. He was also preceded in death by his special friend, Frances Walters; a sister, Melissa McNall; and a brother, Robert Maynard.
Reporter Justin Arnold: 425-339-3432 or jarnold@heraldnet.com.
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