August 28, 1954 – August 13, 2025
Phillip Dean Maynard passed away on Aug. 13 at 70 years old. Phil was a talented football player for the Glenwood Demons and always remained a fan, listening to Friday night games on his portable stereo. Growing up in a coal mining family, he went to work at Mid Continent in Carbondale. His daughter always enjoyed the story of him having to put on a backpack full of railroad spikes and having to run up a mountain in a certain amount of time to get the job.
Most knew the Maynard boys in Carbondale — Scott, Rick, Greg, Roger and Phil were always out and about and sometimes in trouble. Phil eventually met his wife, JoEllen Maynard, at the Black Nugget on their birthday, Aug. 28, 1982. Phil had to pick up her dog, Mahriah, and drive her around in the back of his truck before every date. They soon married and had their only daughter, Mariane.
One thing Phil loved the most was camping and fishing. He’d work his 16-hour coal mining shifts and wanted to be out on the boat until dark on his days off. Mariane even took her first steps on a boat. He loved the Maynard and Lusk family trips to Lake Powell. The whole clan caught 100 stripers in a day and even named a fishing spot after him called “Phil’s Rock.” He adored fishing with his dad, Herman, mom, Glenna, and stepfather, Boo Lusk, stepsister, Tina, and brother, Lawrence.
After the coal mine shut down he spent years working for the City of Aspen. Later in life he became a grandpa to Rustie Maynard and even got to go fishing with her in Montana. There will be a celebration of Phil’s life at one of his favorite places in Carbondale, the Black Nugget, on Thursday, Aug. 21 from 3 to 6pm.
Please join “Phil’s Happy Hour” — it’s a potluck.