Maynard Leaman Begly, 92

He was born in Chester Township, Wayne County, Ohio on May 7, 1930 to the late Nathan and Martha (Hofstetter) Begly and married Fern Lucille Hochstetler on May 11, 1952, at Yellow Creek Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana. They were married for 65 years until Fern’s passing in November of 2017.

Maynard was the oldest of five children and learned hard work and responsibility at a young age growing up on various farms. He met Fern while doing volunteer service at Goshen College and they started their married life together in Indiana. In 1960 they moved to Holmes County, Ohio, and then to Wayne County some years later where they eventually settled in Mount Eaton in 1966. Maynard owned and operated Begly’s Sewing Machines for 37 years, where he sold and repaired sewing machines. He especially loved his work among the Amish and developed a model where the Amish could use a modern sewing machine with the treadle cabinet.  Maynard was an extreme extrovert who never met a stranger and loved people. He had a deep faith in Christ and was blessed with a wonderful wife who was his partner in all that he undertook. He loved the outdoors and family genealogy and was proud of his Swiss heritage.

In 2002, he and Fern moved to Kidron and in 2013 they relocated to Rio Grande, Ohio, where he and Fern were lovingly cared for by his daughter Kristine and her family. He missed his church family at Berlin Christian Fellowship and the many relationships he had in Wayne and Holmes Counties. However, he and Fern were deeply embraced by their new church family at Community Christian Fellowship. There Maynard encouraged many people with his love for his Savior and heart to see others know Christ, even as he lovingly cared for his wife in her final years.

Surviving are eight children; Keith of Columbus, Rita (Bob) Gerber of Millersburg, Jan (Tom) Conrad of Wadsworth, Kristine (Dale) Geiser of Rio Grande, Ronda (Nathan) Beougher of Heath, Mark (Connie) of Williamsburg, Virginia; Kermit (Future) of Troutman, North Carolina; and Iris (Andrew) Bornman of Samachique, Mexico. He is a proud grandfather to Sheila (Mike) Koontz, Sara (Brian) Smetzer, Kevin Begly, Isabella and Sofia Begly, Aaron (Rebekah) Gerber, Amy (Matt) Doerfler, Ryan (Kristen) Conrad, Josh (Lindsay) Conrad, Joel and Caleb Geiser, Zac (Grace) Beougher, Abi (Connor) McColley, Moses Makayune, Jonathan Begly, and Samuel, Hannah, Josiah and Lydia Bornman. He is a great-grandfather to 24 great-grandchildren.

Also surviving is one brother, Vernice, of Skokie, Illinois.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Loren and sisters Doris Begly and Marilyn Stauffer.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 11 am at Berlin Christian Fellowship in Berlin with Pastor Dale Geiser officiating. Friends may call Friday from 6-8 pm at Spidell Funeral Home, Mount Eaton, or an hour before services at the church. Burial will be at Westlawn Cemetery in Mount Eaton.

Memorial contributions may be made to Community Christian Fellowship, Maynard Begly Memorial Fund, PO Box 327, Rio Grande, Ohio 45674; the Bornman Ag Project, Mexico Medical Missions, 1302 Waugh Drive #685, Houston, TX 77019 or LaRed Business Network, 5555 CR 203, Millersburg, Ohio 44654.