Arthur Henry Maynard, Jr.
July 16, 1934 – August 20, 2017
Arthur Henry Maynard, Jr. died peacefully on August 20, 2017.
Art was born at Bellevue Hospital in New York City and subsequently moved, with his parents Arthur, Sr., & Marianne Maynard, to Wyandanch, Long Island (LI), NY,
where he spent his formative years. He relocated to Poinciana, FL, in early 2005, with his best friend and life partner, Phyllis Williams. Art attended
Lindenhurst High School in Lindenhurst, NY, graduating in 1951. His love of sports, baseball, football and general physical education (PE) were
critical to his decision to follow a career in teaching. He attended Brockport State Teachers College (now part of the SUNY network).
Following graduation in 1955, Art accepted a teaching and coaching position in Whitesville NY. He taught PE and General Science,
while coaching several varsity sports. He took Whitesville, a small central rural school district in western New York state,
to the sectional championships in both basketball and baseball, winning it all with the baseball team.
In 1959, Art and his family moved to Amityville, LI, NY, where he accepted a position teaching the earth sciences in the Lindenhurst school district.
In 1962, he was chosen as a National Science Foundation Scholar, which allowed him to complete his master’s degree at Michigan State University.
Upon graduation in 1963, he accepted a position representing NASA in their Public Relations/Education Division. There, he was a member of an
initial core group of science educators, whose focus was to enhance our nation’s schools and universities by expanding the knowledge of space science.
While with NASA, he participated in numerous public speaking events designed to inform and educate the American public about NASA’s ambitious space exploration program.
In 1966, he returned to teaching, as the Director of Astronomy and Space Science Education curriculum at West Islip High School, West Islip, NY.
Over twenty-three years he developed and implemented a full and detailed educational space science and astronomy program for the entire West Islip
school community. This program went from kindergarten to high school. He also conducted for many years a teacher in-service education program
that provided continuing education. Although coaching was no longer a part of his professional experience, he did satisfy his love of sports
by officiating baseball, soccer, wrestling, and track & field. His children fondly remember when he was regularly called out of the stands to
umpire their Little League baseball games.
Art loved Barbershop singing. He was a 45+ year member of three barbershop chorus chapters. The Harbormen’s Chorus in Suffolk County, NY,
The Big Apple Chorus in New York City and the Winter Haven Chorus in Winter Haven, FL. Art also served on the Board of
The International Barbershop Society and was a Past President of the Mid-Atlantic District. He was a member of the Honor Society of the
Mid-Atlantic District and was a “Barbershopper of the Year.†Art sang in the “Guys & Dolls†Chorus in Solivita. He was also active in the “The Theatre Group of Solivita.â€
He and Phyllis travelled extensively and participated in many activities after moving to Florida. As an avid and enthusiastic barbershop chorus member,
he would go on to sing in Red Square in Moscow, Tiananmen Square in Beijing as well as Carnegie Hall, NYC.
Preceded in death by his parents Marianne and Arthur Henry Maynard, Sr., Art is survived by: his life partner, Phyllis M. Williams of Solivita, Poinciana, FL;
a daughter Debra Maynard, Fuqua Varina, NC; four sons, Gary A. Maynard, (Annette), Rockledge, FL; Robert Maynard (Nancy), Arlington, VA;
William Maynard, (Maura), Amityville, NY; and Michael, Naples, FL. Additionally, he is survived by eight grandchildren -
six granddaughters and two grandsons; Elizabeth, Deirdre, Olivia, Juliana, Helen, Hayden, Grant and Christian, respectively.
He is also survived by his sister Norma Fettinger of Pinellas Park, FL; a niece Candy Pappas; and two nephews, Paul and Randy Schaub.
We Celebrated Art’s Life on Sunday, October 22nd, 2017 at the Starlite Ballroom at Solivita, in Poinciana, FL 34759.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to send a donation in Art’s name addressed to the food pantry at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Poinciana.
For those of you affiliated with West Islip Public schools, we have setup a scholarship at West Islip High School for an aspiring science student.
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