Obituary

Maynard Briggs Witherell passed away on January 11, 2021, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, from injuries suffered in a bicycling accident.  Maynard was born May 20, 1942 in Attleboro, Massachusetts, to Bernice Louisa (née Cash) and Maynard O. Witherell.  He is survived by his beloved wife and best friend Jill (née Eiseman) and two sweet sisters Cheryl Perry (Witherell) Anger of Swindon, England and Eleanor Bernice (Witherell) Tatum of Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina and their families.  He dearly loved spending time with his two sons Benjamin (“Ben”) and Jacob (“Jake”), his daughters-in-law Haekyoung and Linda, and especially his five grandchildren Kailey, Emily, Abby, Noah and Nate.

Maynard was a graduate of Harvard University, class of 1964, and was well read in the classics and beyond.  He was a farmer and owner, along with his wife, of the Sheepskin Shop.  As an avid outdoorsman he was especially passionate about hiking and bicycling, both on-road and off-road as well as cross-country skiing.  He was a life-long learner who taught himself to read and speak German, which led to online friendships with Germans learning English and eventual visits to Germany to meet some of these new friends.

His love of architecture led to many adventures in the US and abroad.  Locally, he was an active member of LHORBA, the Laurel Highlands Bicycling Club for many years.  He was also a member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ligonier Valley and was a dedicated participant with the book group there.  Maynard was a frequent volunteer at Powell Stackhouse Park in Johnstown and loved exploring the many scenic trails in all seasons and weather.  He was also an amateur geologist and would often take friends and family on side trips to visit some obscure geologic feature.  Maynard had a true love for people and nature and an indomitable spirit to match.

Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, may be made to:

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ligonier Valley
1724 Route 30 East, Box 692
Ligonier, PA  15658
“In memory of Maynard Witherell”

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LHORBA (Laurel Highlands Bicycling Club)
Merho Federal Credit Union
15 Irene Street
Johnstown, PA  15905
“In memory of Maynard Witherell”

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