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Emera Maynard, 81, of Fontanelle, passed away Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, at Caring Acres Nursing and Rehab in Anita. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, at the Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle, with burial in the Fontanelle Cemetery. Pastor Kyle Fever officiated the service. A luncheon was held at the Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle following the burial. Visitation was held from 2-7 p.m., with family greeting friends from 5-7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 1, at the funeral home. The Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle is in charge of the professional arrangements.
Memorials may be directed to the Emera Maynard Memorial Fund to be established by the family at a later date. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lambfuneralhomes.com.
Emera Frances (Jacobs) Maynard was born Sept. 16, 1942, to Kenneth and Dorothy (Lane) Jacobs in their home south of Fontanelle. She grew up attending Sunday School and church and was involved in Youth Fellowship at Pleasant Grove Congregational Church. She always considered the members of this church as family. She attended Richland Consolidated School and was very proud of the fact she was one of the six students in the schools last graduating class in 1960.
She married Clyde Maynard Sept. 1, 1962. Together they had three children. They moved several times in the first few years of marriage, living in Carter Lake, Lucasville, Ohio, Greenfield and finally returning to Fontanelle in 1973.
She was a member of the Fontanelle United Methodist Church where she sang in the choir from 1973 until entering the nursing home in 2016.
In 1969, she worked as an extra and on costumes for the movie “Cold Turkey” while filming in Greenfield.
When her daughter, Jeannette, started college, Emera started also. She was very dedicated to her studies and thoroughly enjoyed learning. She first earned her associate degree from SWCC and then continued on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Buena Vista University.
Emera started her career with the United States Postal Service in 1974, as a part-time clerk in the Fontanelle office. She loaned out to other offices, including Des Moines, Creston and Greenfield, working overnights sorting mail for a time. Eventually, she transferred to the Greenfield office and after working as a part-time clerk/carrier, she became a full-time city letter carrier. She served as Officer In Charge (OIC) in Anita in 1989, then became postmaster at Bridgewater in 1991 and moved on to Cumberland in 1993.
Emera joined the National League of Postmasters while serving as OIC. She became active in the organization shortly after becoming postmaster. In October 1991 she was appointed Legislative Chair for Iowa and served many years on the committee. In January 1998, Emera was appointed to the National Legislative Committee. In 2002, Emera was selected as the Postmaster of the Year at the Iowa branch of the National League of Postmasters annual convention in Cedar Rapids. She retired in 2007.
Emera was a member of the Fontanelle Methodist Church, was a lay minister, belonged to the Fontanelle Legion Auxiliary, The Lions Club, led the Memorial Day service at the Fontanelle cemetery several years and was a member of National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE). While she was postmaster at Cumberland, she served on the committee which named the rural roads in Cass County for 911 addresses. She put together a history book about the Richland School including pictures of every graduating class in the school’s history.
She was happiest when she was spending time with family and friends. She enjoyed music, reading, walking, watching old classic movies, embroidering, collecting angels and traveling. One of her favorite trips was going to Ireland.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother-in-law, Clark Dory and her dear friend, Paul (Brick) Dory.
She is survived by her three children: Eric (Janet) Maynard of Anita, Herb Maynard of Port Angeles, Washington, and Jeannette (Paul) Jorgensen of Adair; four grandchildren: Kyle Jorgensen of Anita, Zach (Morgan) of Fontanelle, Emily Maynard of Omaha, Nebraska, and Hannah Jorgensen of St. Joseph, Missouri; four great-granddaughters; a sister, Karen Dory of Perry and many other family and friends.