Gwen Maynes

Gwendolyn Verlee (Tully) Maynes was born Jan. 6, 1936, at Greater Community Hospital in Creston. She was the oldest daughter of Donald and Mineva (Douglas) Tully of rural Lenox.

Visitation with family present will be between 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 12, at Lenox United Presbyterian Church, 401 W. Michigan St., in Lenox. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 13, at Lenox United Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Tim Maxa officiating. Following the service, burial will be in West Fair View Cemetery in Lenox.

She grew up attending Grove Township country school No. 2 and graduated from Lenox High School in 1954. Gwen excelled in music, playing the trombone, and was a lifelong vocalist, participating in ensembles, community choirs and the Lentennial Aires. She especially enjoyed singing with her cousins. She was an excellent solo vocalist as well, singing at church services and at many funerals.

She began her business career at First National Bank at Lenox as a teller. She met Harold Maynes through church, and the two were married Jan. 29, 1956. She continued to keep the books for the farming operation and enjoyed working side-by-side with Harold, raising hogs, cattle, sheep, chickens, dairy and five children. Gwen did field work of all kinds and ran the combine every year for them and for her children until the early 2000s, a task she did not give up easily. When Harold went into the real estate business, Gwen was once again working side-by-side with him, keeping the books, obtaining her own real estate license, keeping house and keeping the farm on task. She raised a big garden every year, and along with raising their own meat, she kept her family well nourished. Just for variety, she helped her father build several houses in the area. Harold and Gwen enjoyed their participation in the Da-Sha-May Grazing Association, which was a local effort to increase pasture utilization efficiency. Harold and Gwen were the Omaha WOW TV Farm Family of the Year in the late 1960s.

The family also found time to make trips to Colorado, California, South Dakota, and visiting friends in Florida. As the children grew older, Gwen served as a 4-H leader, Adams County Youth and Youth Fair Member and Board Member of the SW Iowa Farm Business Association. Gwen was baptized, married and served in Lenox United Presbyterian Church throughout her lifetime. During this time, she served as Lenox United Presbyterian Church trustee, elder/session member, clerk of session, elder commissioner to Des Moines Presbytery and a Bible school teacher.

Gwen would take the kids camping at the Iowa State Fair so they could show their projects and enjoy the fair. She was heavily involved in all aspects of 4-H during her kids’ growing up years and enjoyed attending and participating in fair-related activities. In 2012, she was inducted into Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame for Taylor County at the Iowa State Fair.

As the kids left home and started their own families, Gwen continued to be active in helping them establish their households and being involved in the lives of her grandchildren. She especially loved welcoming each and every grandchild. Great-grandchildren were an additional special blessing for Gwen.

Gwen was very faithful, not only as a co-parent and business partner, but as caretaker for Harold when he developed kidney disease and was restricted by his dialysis and physical limitations until he died in 1995. All the while she continued her church work, real estate responsibilities, babysitting and helping on the farm.

Left to cherish her memory are Kim (Pete) Brantner of Lenox, Karen (Steve Downing) of Creston, Paul (Marcia) Maynes of Lenox, Arnold (Stacy) Maynes and Lyle (Bobbi) Maynes, both of Corning. Also surviving is a sister Bonnie Schrader, sister-in-law Lois Maynes of Lenox and stepbrother Paul (Eileen) Tyler of Des Moines. Gwen also leaves behind 16 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Preceding her in death was her husband Harold V. Maynes; her parents, Don and Mineva Tully; in-laws, Joe and Jean Maynes, Wilma Maynes; brothers-in-law, Larry Schrader and Joe Maynes, Duane and Alan Tyler; and daughter-in-law Melissa Maynes.