STAUNTON, Feb. 25 – Maynard Stoddard, IV, 83, husband of Dixie (Hawks) Stoddard, of Staunton, passed away Sunday, February 21, 2010 in the Shenandoah Hospice House. Mr. Stoddard was born December 20, 1926 in Staunton, a son of the late Charles Maynard Stoddard and Nellie Shepherd Stoddard.

Mr. Stoddard was a graduate of Robert E. Lee High School and received a B.S. Degree in Forestry and Wildlife Conservation from Virginia Polytechnic Institute Class of 1951. He was a veteran of the United States Army Air Force and the United States Air Force and served during World War II in the United States and Germany. He was a member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Staunton and had served on the vestry and administrative boards of churches in Farmville and Keswick in earlier years.

Mr. Stoddard had worked for the United States Forest Service and the National Park Service and in 1987 he was awarded the National Silver Smokey Bear Award given by the U.S. Forest Service, the Advertising Council and the National Association of State Foresters for outstanding public service in wildfire prevention. He retired in 1989 from the Virginia Department of Forestry as Assistant Chief of Fire Management having served for 36 years. His life was always serving others and sharing his knowledge in different capacities or business opportunities, he was a substitute rural mail carrier for the United States Postal Service, he had been active in the Boy Scout program, past president of the Farmville Rotary Club, he was a founding member of the Skidmore Hunt Club, an instructor of the Dale Carnegie Course in public speaking and human relations and he was on the America's “Happy Birthday U.S.A.” celebration committee for 12 years and during that time he served as Chairman for a period of three years.

In addition to his wife to whom he married for July 20, 1951, Mr. Stoddard is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Tonie Stoddard McArdle and husband, Matt of Catonsville, MD; two sons, Charles Maynard “Whit” Stoddard and wife, Debra E. of Powhatan and Miller Stoddard of Albemarle County; three grandsons, Clayton McArdle, Parker McArdle and Hunter Whitfield Stoddard; brother-in-law, Tom Hawks and two nephews, Tim and Scott Hawks. Mr. Stoddard was the last surviving member of his immediate family.

A memorial service will be will be conducted at noon on Saturday, Feb. 27, in Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Staunton by the Rev. Edward M. Covert.

Burial will be private at Thornrose Cemetery.

It is suggested that those so desiring make memorial contributions to the Shenandoah Hospice House, 111 North Campus Lane, Fishersville, VA 22939.

Coffman Funeral Home and Crematory, Staunton, is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.coffmanfuneralhome.net