Joan Clark Maynard

Joan Clark Maynard of Linthicum Heights Maryland passed away at the  Medstar Harbor hospital on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. She was proceeded in death by her husband, Charles Richard (Dick) Maynard, and her brother Richard E Clark of Dublin, Maryland. Joan was born on November 2, 1928 in Darlington, Maryland to the late William Royston and Catherine Halsey Clark. Growing up on the family farm in Dublin, Maryland, she spent her early years as a farm girl with her brother, helping their parents through the war years, managing German prisoners of war that worked at their farm, and volunteering with their classmates on war drives. Following high school, her first job was at the Aberdeen proving grounds where she worked as a telephone operator.

     Joan was, first and foremost, an educator. She graduated from University of Maryland where she met her husband and both gained Bachelor Degrees. She started a teaching career at North Glenn Elementary, then on to Linthicum elementary, where she taught third grade. Continuing her education, she earned a masters degree from the University of Maryland in speech pathology. She left teaching to continue her career as a speech pathologist for the Anne Arundel County Public school system, later to become a branch chief for the Maryland State Department of special education. Her career as an educator culminated with a two term appointment by Governor William Donald Schaffer to the Maryland State Board of Education.

    Not one to sit idle, after retiring, she began volunteer work guiding tours at the Maryland governors mansion, specializing in teaching children the history of the building and its intricacies. Later, Joan served on President Ronald Reagan’s White House volunteer staff, fielding phone conversations, guiding tours through the building and decorating the White House for Christmas. Being politically involved, she was active on Governor Bob Ehrlich’s campaign staff, a member of National Federation of Republican Women, and Anne Arundel County Executive Steven Shuh appointed her to the school board nomination committee. She was an active member of the Linthicum Women’s Club, and sat the board of the Chesapeake Performing Arts Center.

     Travel was Joan’s hobby, seeing nationwide destinations during her career, England, France, and Italy with her family in 1964, Hawaii and Pearl Harbor with her husband, and multiple trips to the Pacific Northwest to visit her son. Her most memorable trip was in 1989 to China where she witnessed the revolt and massacre in Tiananmen Square.

      Between and during all of the aforementioned activities, Joan was the ultimate grandmother to her three grandchildren that were raised on a cattle ranch in eastern Montana. They spent every summer with their grandparents from 1985 to 1996, going to camps, playing with their neighbors, but most importantly swimming in the pool at their home on Hilltop Road. 

       Joan Maynard is survived by her son, Charles (Chuck) Richard Maynard Jr.,his wife,

Gordi Ann, her three grandchildren, James Royston, Jenifer Kate, Jason William, and four great grandchildren.

      A celebration of life will be held at the Linthicum Heights Woman’s Club on Wednesday, August twenty eighth at 11:00 AM, located at 110 North Hammonds Ferry Road, Linthicum Heights, Maryland 21090. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to the Women’s Club Memorial Fund or a charity of your choosing.