Dennis J. Maynard
Dennis J. Maynard, age 73, of Middlefield, passed away May 15, 2024, after a long battle with cancer.
Born in Chardon, on June 19, 1950, to Malcom and Winona (nee Carter) Maynard, he had been a longtime resident of the Chardon and Painesville area before moving to Middlefield two years ago. Dennis was a graduate of Chardon High School, class of 1968.
Dennis worked at the Cuyahoga County Board of DD, where he served adults with disabilities and established a reputation as caring, compassionate and supportive case worker who was loved by all.
After his retirement, Dennis developed a small business and served his community as a driver for Amish families and schools around Middlefield.
Dennis loved to be outdoors, working in the flower gardens, mowing the lawn or working on his beloved landscaping ponds. He enjoyed watching songbirds and wildlife from the backyard deck.
Dennis loved playing with his grandkids and connecting with his family. His love and dedication to his wife and family was evident to all. If you happened to stop by their house in the evening, you would invariably find Dennis sitting on the couch, massaging Berjean’s feet while he watched the Cleveland Indians or Cleveland Cavaliers.
Dennis and his wife, Berjean, learned sign language in the early 1980s, and God began to give them a love and desire to reach the deaf community with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Their passion was to bring deaf teens and adults to church, teach them God’s Word in their own language, and train them to serve the Lord in their own community and culture. They were involved in providing opportunities for deaf teens and young adults to attend summer camp and they would often spend the week at camp themselves.
In 2016, Dennis and Berjean began attending Signs of Grace Deaf church, a new church that had started meeting at Grace Church in Middleburg Heights. God had uniquely prepared them to help with this new church plant, and their church family became very dear and special to them.
Through Signs of Grace, they also began to be involved in Deaf Teen Quest, a teen outreach to deaf students organized by Youth for Christ. Through their ministry, Dennis and Berjean have touched the lives of countless individuals and witnessed many lives changed through the message of the Gospel.
Dennis’s love for his Amish friends was evident to all, and the highlight of his week was driving the children and teachers to school. One of his favorite times of the year was the annual shoebox collection for Operation Christmas Child, where he spent many days driving throughout the Amish community picking up thousands of shoeboxes and delivering them to collection centers in the area and promoting the ministry of Samaritan’s Purse around the world.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Berjean (nee Greenaway)”BJ” Maynard, of Middlefield; sons, Jason (Michele), of Euclid, Jarred (Laura), of Omaha, Neb., Justin, of Oakwood Village; Isaiah Kamples, their God son; six grandchildren, Joshua Bray, Jordan Bray, Amanda Bray, Jared Bray, Jadon Maynard and Joseph Maynard; one great-grandchild, Noah Bray; and sister, Janice Curtis, of Adrian, Mich.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 25, 2024, at Willo-Hill Baptist Church, 4200 Chillicothe Road, Willoughby, with Pastor Joe Dixon of Signs of Grace Deaf Church presiding.
Family and friends asked to arrive for a gathering at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday.
A private family burial will take place.
Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Friday. May 24, 2024, at Best Funeral Home,15809 Madison Road, Middlefield.
Flowers are welcome or donations can be made in Dennis’s name to the Maynard Deaf Scholarship Fund through Signs of Grace Deaf Church which will be used to sponsor deaf teens to attend summer camp and to fund other Christian leadership activities. You can donate here:
Services entrusted to the Potti & Marc F. Burr Funeral Homes of Madison, Chardon, Painesville & Fairport Harbor. Obituary, online condolences and memorial gifts available at www.marcfburrfuneralhome.com.
