Wilburn Carrol Maynard

Wilburn Carrol (W.C.) Maynard went to his Heavenly home on Sunday, May 11, 2008, at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler with his family at his side. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Hawkins with Dr. Bill Holmes officiating. Dr. James Thompson will assist in the service. Burial will be in the Hawkins Cemetery with Masonic graveside rites. Visitation will be Tuesday at the Beaty Funeral Home in Hawkins from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.

W.C. was a native of Madisonville, Texas, but lived in Hawkins for 39 years and considered it his home. He loved his community and gave it years of his care and concern, He began his service to the Hawkins community when he was elected to the Board of Education of the Hawkins Public Schools. He served 14 years, many of those as president. He served as City Councilman and then Mayor for 12 years.

W.C. valued education and spent 21 years serving on the Region VII Education Board. He served as president of that group for five years. W.C. was a 32nd-degree Mason and a member of the Masonic Lodge in Hawkins, and recently was awarded his 60-year certificate.

His service to his community, family and Hawkins First Baptist Church were the main threads of his life. He and Estelle were active in their church for 39 years. He served as Deacon and her special interest were her "lambs" in the nursery.

He attended Howard Payne University in Brownwood, and The University of Texas in Austin. He joined Exxon Mobil in 1944 and retired as Plant Foreman. He worked in labs (Humble Oil) in Katy, Overton, Pickton and in Hawkins.

During the years of World War II, W.C. was ineligible for active service due to a heart defect and served his country as an Identification Specialist at the Brown Shipyard in Houston. It was there that he met his wife of 58 years, Estelle Smith Maynard.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Voice and Amy Lawson Maynard; his sister, Louise Maynard Risinger; and his wife, Estelle Smith Maynard.

Survivors include his chosen children, Jane Maynard of St. Louis, Mo., Jimmy Maynard of Abilene, and Lea Sherman of Beaumont. Mr. Maynard is also survived by several cousins, nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to express its gratitude to his loving caregivers, Sharon Knight, Velma Scott and Rebb Smith. You made it possible for him to live in the comfort of his home and gave him a quality of life he could not have had otherwise. May God bless you all.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church in Hawkins.