William "Del" Maynard

William “Del” Maynard passed away Saturday June 19, 2021 in Okemos, Michigan at the age of 91. William was born September 17, 1929 in Midland, Michigan to Arthur and Louzella Maynard.

A longtime resident of Lansing, Michigan, Del had a varied career; he retired from the State of Michigan as a Physical Plant Superintendent. His other career experiences were diverse: plumber, carpenter, stock car driver, mechanic, small business owner. Del even played a “vagrant” in a few episodes of a Detroit based soap-opera.

Del was a life-long learner and curious about countless subjects. He was a poet, a philosopher, a devout lover of music and Karaoke. He was an avid student of geographical information, especially rivers. Del loved his family above all and enjoyed his many friends. He always had an extra bowl of soup for anyone in need of one (careful of what is in the soup).

He would not want sadness, but instead celebration. His motto was "anything is possible and everyone is invited". His alter ego was "Delbert Sea Eagle".

He had a great sense of humor. He loved to talk, debate, and share ideas. The running joke was that even the most ardent evangelists stayed away from our door as he would want to debate and discuss anything for hours. His stories were detailed and many; we used to number them so we could get to the conclusion more quickly. He never let the facts get in the way of a great story.

Throughout his life, he volunteered with numerous organizations including Planned Parenthood, The Boy Scouts, YMCA and others. He believed in social justice and would often show up at a protest with sandwiches and coffee for everyone.

He was married to Elsie Logan in 1947. Elsie and Del had two children. Del married Barbara Martin in 1954. Barbara and Del shared a deep love and had six children. Their love story was full of good humor, joy, and a kindred spirit. They were known as “Delbert Sea Eagle and “Laughing Bear. They were married for more than fifty years upon her death in 2007.

Del served in the United States Army in the Transportation Corp where he was trained as a Medic.

He is survived by his children: Arthur, Gary, Daniel, David, Brian, Kevin and Ann. He is preceded in death by his former wife Elsie, his wife Barbara and daughter Catherine. Del has eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Visitation will be held on Monday June 28, 2021, at 11:00 am at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, 1730 East Grand River Ave, East Lansing, MI. Memorial Service will be held following the visitation.

Donations in William “Del” Maynard’s name can be made to Forster Woods Adult Day Care. www.forsterwoods.org