Georgianna M. Maynard, 88, a missionary and travel writer, died Saturday, April 27, in the University of Chicago Hospitals of pneumonia and cardiac arrest. Born and raised in Sterling, Ill., Mrs. Maynard received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin in 1935. In 1939, she married Richard Maynard and the two traveled to Turkey that year as missionaries for the United Church of Christ . The two stayed there until 1977, occasionally returning to the Chicago area for yearlong sabbaticals. In 1994, Mrs. Maynard published a book about her years as a missionary: “Letters from Turkey: 1939-1946.” In 1977, she and her husband retired to Hyde Park. Mr. Maynard died the following year. Throughout her retirement, Mrs. Maynard continued to travel, visiting India as recently as March. She wrote about all of her travels and encouraged other family members to join her. “We have a file on every trip she went on,” said her niece, Alice Stratigos. Mrs. Maynard was active in Hyde Park, where she resided for 25 years. She was a docent at the Oriental Institute in Hyde Park and a member of the University of Chicago Service League, a philanthropic group of which she was president from 1997 to 1998. Mrs. Maynard is survived by her brother, David Mathew, and 12 nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the United Church of Hyde Park, 1448 E. 53rd St., followed by a reception at 3 p.m. at the church.
