Jeff Maynor, who worked in Cleveland television for parts of four decades, has died at the age of 75.
A native of Warren, Maynor spent time at Ohio University' prestigious E. W. Scripps School of Journalism and later joined the United States Army before beginning his career on WBBW radio in Youngstown. He was later a co-anchor at WKBN-TV before moving to Cleveland in 1972.
Following a stint at WJW channel 8, Maynor went to WEWS channel 5, where he anchored the evening newscasts with the great Ted Henry. Maynor's six-year tenure at the station included several memorable moments, including the night legendary sportscaster Gib Shanley burned an Iranian flag on the air in the wake of the hostage crisis. Maynor and Henry were both caught off-guard by the gesture, with Jeff quickly (but calmly) cutting to a commercial break.
While later working as PR director for Lakeland Community College, Maynor was hired by WKYC in 1993. He would spend the next 18 years at Channel 3, reporting during the week while anchoring weekend newscasts.
Maynor also hosted several interview specials for the network. One of the earliest ones he did came in 1993 with the late Tim Conway, a Chagrin Falls native who later became known worldwide for his work with Carol Burnett. The two discussed Conway's love for his home region and how he got his start in Cleveland television.
One of Jeff's longest partners at Channel 3 was Kim Wheeler, who co-anchored weekend mornings with him for over a decade. She offered this statement on his death:
"I'm so saddened to hear of Jeff's passing. Jeff and I anchored weekend mornings together for nearly 14 years, and I will always treasure those memories. Our weekend crew truly was a family, and he was not just colleague but a dear friend. We always said that working together made it easier to get up at 4 a.m. to head into work on Saturdays and Sundays for the weekend news. I will always be so grateful to Jeff for the beautiful stories he did on our adoption of Terry Pitak from Thailand. Jeff was a gifted journalist and devoted friend. My thoughts are with his wife, Patsy, and his children and grandchildren he adored."
Besides news, Maynor loved old movies and early rock and roll, especially Buddy Holly. He is survived by his wife Patricia, their children, and grandchildren.