Obituary: Gerald Mann Maynard

November 6, 1933 – July 9, 2026

Gerald “Jerry” Mann Maynard, 1933 – 2026

July 20, 2026

Gerald “Jerry” Mann Maynard, 92, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at his home in Moretown, Vermont.

Jerry was born at home on November 6, 1933, in East Templeton, Massachusetts, to the late Harold and Margery (Mann) Maynard. He graduated from Vermont Agricultural College in 1956. On March 3, 1956, he married the love of his life, Wilma Austin, with whom he shared 70 years of marriage and a growing family.

A man of immense work ethic and dedication, Jerry served as a foreman for L.M. Pike & Son for 30 years, where he notably made the asphalt for Interstate 89 from Montpelier to the Canadian border. In 1977, he and Wilma opened Maynard’s Snack Bar, which they operated together for 39 years. The snack bar became a hub for the community, a place where Jerry’s love for conversation and visiting with people truly flourished.

Jerry was an exceptionally skilled finish carpenter, a craft he used to renovate much of his own property and to build cherished pieces of furniture for his family and friends. His love for the outdoors and the Vermont landscape was evident in his hobbies: he was an avid hiker of Camel’s Hump, a skier at Mad River Glen, and an enthusiastic gardener who took great pride in his “weed-free” vegetable gardens. His affection for animals led him to raise cattle, chickens, pigs and bees throughout his life.

Every autumn, Jerry looked forward to deer hunting with his family in Vermont and Maine. When he wasn't outdoors or at the snack bar, he could often be found at the card table, as cards were played daily in the Maynard household.

Jerry was deeply committed to his community and various fraternal organizations. He was a past district deputy for the state of Vermont Masonic Grand Lodge and served as the treasurer of the Waitsfield Masonic Lodge for 40 years. His civic contributions included serving on the Moretown Volunteer Fire Department, the Moretown Board of Civil Authority, and acting as a Moretown Moderator and Justice of the Peace. He was also a founding member of the Mad River Ridge Runners snowmobile club and a dedicated committee member for Green Up Day.

Above all, Jerry loved his family. He found his greatest joy in family gatherings and having a dinner table full of loved ones.

He is survived by his wife, Wilma Maynard; their five children: Steven Maynard (and girlfriend Brenda Beaudin), Stuart Maynard (and wife Lana), Patricia Young (and husband Joseph Young II), Pamela Deal (and husband Gary Deal), and Scott Maynard. He also leaves behind 11 grandchildren: Joseph Young III, Jason Young, Jennifer (Young) Larson, Nichole (Deal) Schwab, Nicholas Deal, Heather (Maynard) Albrecht, Bonnie (Maynard) Hannon, Thomas Maynard, Merrie-Beth (Maynard) Cleary, Megan (Maynard) Jacob, and Stephen Maynard; as well as 21 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A private family and Masonic family service will be held on Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. at the Barre Masonic Lodge.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Jerry’s memory to the Waitsfield Masonic Lodge, the Mad River Valley Ambulance, or Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice.