Maynard Lawrence

Maynard A. Lawrence, age 87, of Willmar, died Wednesday morning, Feb. 25, at Bethesda Heritage Center in Willmar.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28, at the United Methodist Church in Willmar. Interment will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Winnebago. Military honors will be provided by the Willmar American Legion Post. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. with a public memorial service at 7 p.m. under the Auspices of the Sharon Masonic Lodge on Friday, Feb. 27, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar. Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred and will be divided among the charities Maynard held dear.

Maynard Lawrence was born on January 8, 1928, the youngest of four sons of Dean and Carrie Lawrence. He grew up on a farm near Blue Earth and graduated from Blue Earth High School.
Maynard celebrated 62 years of marriage to Justine (Oliver). The two of them loved to entertain, travel and celebrate life with family. He was a devoted father to Joann, Debbie and Caroline and cherished his eight grandchildren, three great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

In 1947, he began his 63 year career in banking at the Elmore State Bank where he learned every job in banking. He left Elmore to serve in the army during the Korean conflict. When he returned to Minnesota, he joined the First National Bank of Austin as a teller. He originally came to the Willmar area in 1956, and initiated an agricultural loan department at the First National Bank. He relocated to work for the State Bank of New Ulm in 1963. From there he joined the National Citizens Bank in Mankato where he called on banks throughout southern and central Minnesota. He moved to Minneapolis in 1977 when he accepted a position with the Independent State Bank of Minnesota. He fulfilled a dream in 1986 when he continued his career at the Concorde State Bank and built their home on George Lake near Spicer. Throughout his career he worked to ensure every customer was successful.

He showed his love for people and community through his involvement with the United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Family Foundation, and Decision Hills. He was an active member of the Lions, Masons, American Legion, Jaycees, Kiwanis, SCORE and Toastmasters.

He is survived by his loving wife, Justine of Willmar; three children, Joann (and Keith) Freeburg of Landrum, South Carolina, Deborah (and Jeff) Hewitt of Brooklyn Park and Caroline Winget of Plymouth; six grandchildren, Emily (and Nathan) McCollin of Mills River, North Carolina, Levi Freeburg of Mills River, North Carolina, Marcia (and Brian) Zappa of Champlain, Reid Hewitt of St. Louis Park, Andrea Winget of Golden Valley and Marshall Winget of Plymouth; and three great grandchildren, Natalie, Katelyn and Brady. Also surviving is one brother, Ronald (and Maxine) Lawrence of Blue Earth, besides other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Delmar and Virgil; and one son-in-law, David Winget in 2012.

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