Merle Ray Maynard

Honoring the memory of Merle Ray Maynard of Thornville, who passed away on December 23, 2021 from COVID complications. Ray was born January 11, 1958. In his youth he was known for enjoying life, whether on a quad, a horse, a motorcycle, on a Lake Erie fishing boat, or at a rock concert. He often said that his early years were in the pursuit of fun. He was a truck driver for over 35 years, both long haul and local, and saw most of the continental United States. He had many stories of celebrities he met during a driving stint delivering equipment for outdoor concerts. Some of his hobbies were photography, guitar playing, building motorcycles and taking care of his home. In his later years he enjoyed bourbon sampling with his family and moonshine sampling with the guys. He was known for his off the wall jokes and pranks and loved to get a shocked reaction to something he said or did. His unconventional and unique personality will be missed by many who knew and loved him.