Emma Maynard Holmes

Emma Lou Maynard was born in White Plains, New York, to Madge Hooks Maynard and William Maynard on December 24, 1929. She attended elementary school at PS 186 and graduated from Julia Richmond High School in Manhattan. She attended the College of the City of New York, in Manhattan , where she met her husband Aaron James Holmes. Emma worked herself through college in the social services department of Queens General Hospital. After Aaron graduated and returned to Liberia, he sent for her and she followed on a cargo ship as one of the captain’s 12 guests. Emma was the Administrative Assistant to the Dean of the Law School at the University of Liberia for over a decade. In addition to that, for several years she served as Coordinator of the Annual Calendar Tea Program. This was an annual fundraiser held by the First Lady of Liberia, Mrs. Victoria Tolbert, to lift under-privileged girls of Liberia out of poverty by building hostels for them to live in while attending school and paying their school fees.

Emma lived a very full life both in Liberia and America, after returning to America following a Coup D’état in 1980. Despite the hardships of starting a new life, she always had time to help others and make them feel like they mattered. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Business, while working as Human Resources Supervisor at Oroweat Baking Company in South San Francisco, CA, and raising her last two children.

Emma is survived by her sister, Martha Howell; her children, Zuannah, Zoghanno (Missie), Zinnah and Zokai; her grandchildren, Nathan and Derrick Covington, Zoghanno and Zuleika Richardson and Emma and Carlos Macedo; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, her god-daughter, Sister Elfriede Jackson, and a host of friends.

She will be sorely missed by all she touched. "Rest in peace, Emma Holmes, job well done. Now enter into perfect peace in the arms of our Lord."