Charles "Chuck" A. Maynard

Charles A. "Chuck" Maynard, 72, of Syracuse, passed away on Monday at Upstate University Hospital. The son of Alvin and Gladys Maynard, he was born on March 25, 1951, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Chuck did his undergraduate and graduate studies at Iowa State University, receiving his PhD in forest biology in 1980. While at Iowa State, he met his wife, Diane, and they married on November 20, 1971. His career path took him to SUNY ESF where he was a professor in the Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management.

Chuck served as co-director of The American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project at ESF and took great pride in his team's accomplishments. He was an enthusiastic teacher, especially enjoying his arboriculture class. Chuck retired from ESF in 2016.

At home, Chuck could often be found pruning and caring for his trees and plants. Always eager to educate, his family joked that he was well known for his "tree lectures." A friendly, down-to-earth guy, he didn't stray far from his midwestern roots.

Chuck was predeceased by his parents; son, Joel; and sister, Marilyn.

Surviving are his wife, Diane; daughter, Lisa and her husband, Jeffrey; grandchildren, Elizabeth, Clara, and Ryan; and sister, Phyllis. 

A private service will be held at a later date. 

If you wish to memorialize Chuck, please consider planting a tree. "When we plant a tree, we plant hope."