Hefley still at the helm at The Lumberyard
Staff writer
Maynard Hefley still spends the afternoon at The Lumberyard, his family business. According to son, Jon Hefley, he "keeps the crew in line."
Maynard was born and raised on a farm near Durham. He graduated from Durham High School in 1940 and went to Kansas State University for one semester. He then began working at Boeing in Wichita, where he stayed for two years.
He enlisted in the United States Marines and served nearly four years. He served three of those years overseas in the South Pacific.
From 1944 to 45, Maynard rode motorcycles in the service. He was elected to ride in the motorcycle guard for President Franklin Roosevelt when he came for inspection at Pearl Harbor.
In 1946, he came back to the states and studied business at Kansas State University in Manhattan.
Maynard wanted to return to the Hillsboro area and heard about an opening at the lumberyard in Hillsboro. C.D. Burkholder was the owner, and he offered Maynard the manager's position.
"I was in charge of doing just about everything," Maynard said. "I was a delivery boy and unloaded shipments off the trains, to managing three other people. We didn't have a forklift available back then; we did everything by hand."
Maynard worked at Burkholder Lumber Co. for seven years.
In 1947, he married Ruby Schmidt, who was a telephone operator.
"She would not go out with me until I stopped riding motorcycles," Maynard said, smiling.
In 1954 he accepted the position as a field representative for Lowe Brothers Paint Company in Kansas City. He managed 13 employees and worked in that position for four years.
Later he was promoted to district manager. The company transferred him to Sweetwater, Texas, where he worked for 18 months.
The family was not happy with the Texas environment, and Maynard began to look for work elsewhere.
Mr. Burkholder called him from Hillsboro and made him an offer to come back to Hillsboro and purchase his lumberyard.
So in 1962, the family moved back to Hillsboro, and Maynard worked for Burkholder a number of years.
During that time, he and his wife purchased a farm southeast of Hillsboro.
In January of 1971, Maynard and Ruby purchased 100 percent of the stock of Burkholder Lumber Co. and changed the name to The Lunberyard, Inc. The Hefley family became sole owners of the oldest business in Hillsboro, which had been established in 1884.
There are now four employees on staff with son Jon as the manager. Maynard's wife, Ruby, still assists with the books.
According to Maynard, the store has been remodeled twice. The Hefleys purchased property on the east side of Ash Street, which is now their Bargain and Rental Center, and other adjoining properties as well.
Maynard has been a member of the United Methodist Church in Hillsboro for 58 years. He has taught Sunday school and has been on the building committee chairman for the new church.
He has been a member of the VFW in Marion for 30 years; a member of the American Legion Post 366 for 54 years; a Midian Shriner in Wichita for 45 years; and a Mason since 1962. He is a 32nd degree Mason.
From 1951 through 1965, Maynard served on the Hillsboro City Council. During his term the Hillsboro Municipal Swimming Pool was constructed and most of the trees in Memorial Park were planted.
He enjoys fishing and hunting, especially for deer, pheasant, and quail.
He and his wife have three children: James and wife Leann Hefley of Hillsboro; Deborah and husband Vince Collier of Newton; and Jon and wife Sonja of rural Marion. They have five grandchildren.
"The person who has helped all these years has been my wife, Ruby," Maynard said. "If it hadn't been for her, we wouldn't have made it."
