Center honors Maynor brothers' service

Jul. 15—LUMBERTON — For nearly 43 years, a Maynor represented West Lumberton on City Council.

Moving forward, the Maynor name will be represented at a city building in West Lumberton.

The city dedicated the Maynor Resource Center, in memory of Leon Maynor and in honor of Glenn Maynor, during a ceremony at the venue Thursday; both brother's City Council tenures were just a part of their long careers in public service.

"You cannot compile all the things they've done and say it in one speech," Lumberton Mayor Bruce Davis said. "I've known both of them ever since I've been on the Council, and that's longer than I want to admit, but they are good team members and they were good for this city."

Glenn Maynor served on City Council, representing Precinct 7, for nearly 19 years, from 1975 to 1994; Leon Maynor replaced his brother and served over 23 years on council, from 1995 to 2018.

"I consider it an honor for our family, for me and for my brother Leon," Glenn Maynor told The Robesonian after the ceremony. "I'm one that doesn't necessarily like to have pats on their back, because what I do, and (Leon) was the same way, he does it from the heart."

The ceremony was attended by the majority of both Lumberton City Council and the Robeson County Board of Commissioners, as well as numerous other city, county and judicial officials; many other friends and family of the Maynor brothers also attended, with the crowd overflowing the room where the ceremony took place and spilling into an adjacent hallway. Speakers included Davis, former Robeson County Superintendent Johnny Hunt, and pastors Roosevelt Scott and Rick Foreman, as well as Eric Chavis, who now fills the Precinct 7 City Council seat filled for so long by Glenn and Leon Maynor.

"I think that while these two guys (had) 42 years of service to the West Lumberton community — I tell people I've got big shoes to fill, and I'm not even going to try to fill those shoes, because my little feet won't even come close to their years of service," Chavis said.

Leon Maynor may not have been physically present for the dedication — he died in 2018 — but the Maynor Resource Center becomes one more symbol of a legacy that endures in numerous ways in the West Lumberton community. His widow, Jan Maynor, was present at Thursday's ceremony.

"That was kind of our motto — let your light so shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify the heavenly father," Jan Maynor said during the ceremony. "And that's what — Leon loved God, he loved his family, and he loved Lumberton. But he loved West Lumberton. The day that he passed away to heaven, everybody that ever met Leon Maynor lost a friend."

In addition to his tenure on City Council, Leon Maynor served on the National League of Cities/Small Cities Council, the Lumber River Council of Governments Board and Rural Transportation Board, Robeson County Partnership for Children, Lumberton Airport Commission and Robeson County Justice Board.

Glenn Maynor was also Robeson County Sheriff from 1994 to 2004; he also served on numerous City Council committees, as Airport Commissioner, on the Board of Directors for the Lumber River Council of Governments, the Lumberton Visitors Bureau and the Southeastern Family Violence Center.

Glenn Maynor, 76, attended the dedication and was moved by the honor.

"It makes it more meaningful, because it's like one of the council members told me, 'you, by still being with us, we're giving you your roses while you're here,'" Glenn Maynor said. "That's a significant feeling if you know what I'm saying, it shows deep appreciation — and we have a deep appreciation for them for doing this."

Honoring the brothers together — especially since the two shared a close relationship — made the dedication all the more meaningful for the Maynor family.

"We were like twins," Glenn Maynor said. "When you saw one, you saw the other; we were closely bonded to each other."

"They were a team; between the two of them they could make most anything happen," Jan Maynor said. "He would have preferred that Glenn get the recognition rather than himself."

The dedication reached a crescendo when Tonka Maynor, the son of Leon Maynor, announced a $50,000 donation on behalf of the Leon Maynor Foundation to go towards the construction of a playground in West Lumberton.

Leon Maynor, Tonka said, had worked to secure funding for the project before his death. Tonka Maynor anticipates the installation taking place within the next six months to one year.

The Maynor Resource Center, a new facility located near Luther Britt Park at 1702 West Fifth Street, can be used for a variety of events, Chavis said, including birthday parties, baby showers and community watch meetings, among other activities.

City Council approved for the building to be named in honor of both Maynor brothers in November 2020.

"This is a neighborhood resource center," Davis said. "So anything they want to do in West Lumberton, they're welcome to do it here."

And as they do, they can do so keeping the Maynor family's impact on West Lumberton in mind.

"I appreciate the recognition for how much Leon cared about West Lumberton and how he fought for them to make sure they were getting everything they could get and they were being taken care of, and he did that because this was his home," Jan Maynor said. "He loved the people and he enjoyed helping them, so it's a day of celebration."

"You can't drive through West Lumberton without thinking of Leon," Chavis said. "He poured his heart out for the community, and it shows."

Chris Stiles can be reached at 910-816-1977 or by email at cstiles@robesonian.com.