Mary Rebecca Maynes

“Why were the saints, saints? Because they were cheerful when it was difficult to be cheerful, patient when it was difficult to be patient; and because they pushed on when they wanted to stand still, and kept silent when they wanted to talk, and were agreeable when they wanted to be disagreeable. That was all. It was quite simple and always will be.”

Jesus needed our saint, Mary Rebecca “Beki” (Sigworth) Maynes, and came for her on November 15 at the age of 91 surrounded by her children and grandchildren who knew her as their Amma. With Beki’s love of family gatherings, we know she was pleased that it was a full house with standing room only.

Beki was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix where subsequently she delivered her 10 children. She grew up on a small farm near downtown Glendale where she survived many poisonous scorpion stings and learned how to load a gun, ferment grapes, handle a Gila monster and ride a horse. Beki quivered at the memory of her daddy tapping the wooden walls every night to draw out the scorpions in her bedroom so he could whack them with his boot. At a very young age Beki wanted to be a horse jockey but was disappointed when she found out that even as a slight 10 year old, she would keep growing and never make the austere weight cut.

Beki was an adventurous and headstrong child which kept her mama and daddy very busy. She grew up loving the arts-excelling in literature from poetry to drama and studying music greats like Beethoven and Grieg.

Beki attended Glendale High School. One of her memories was sneaking an aspirin and a Coca Cola with her friends and having the giggles all night. Out of high school Beki’s merit earned her a full scholarship in performing arts to Arizona State University where she majored in music. A gifted pianist, Beki played concertos at ASU’s music auditorium.

She was a voracious reader and had a passion for writing-especially humor and she loved drawing, painting and delighted in her daily crossword puzzle. Her creativity was unmatched, but her love of family became her unwavering commitment. She met Rocky Maynes soon after starting at ASU, fell in love and knew her future was having as many children as God would bring them.

While raising 10 children Beki also found time for her commitment to community. She was president of the Glendale Women’s Club and president of the Glendale Historical Society and stayed active with both for 50 years. A long-time season ticket holder, Beki loved attending Phoenix Suns games. She also loved entertaining family and friends at her cabin in Heber and hosting gatherings at her home with lots of music. Beki took great pride in all her children and embraced her most important role as a tireless “Mom.” Mom never desired material items, she always said there was nothing she needed. Mom only wanted her 10 children and grandchildren to visit. Mom couldn’t eat a Hershey’s kiss without splitting it 11 ways. Mom raised 10 kids sacrificing her dreams for theirs. Mom never missed a band concert, sporting event or school meeting and somehow was always home to bake, sew, feed the dogs and cats, tape that sprained ankle, bandage a scraped knee, cool a fever and give comfort after a knocked-out tooth. Mom helped with homework and piano lessons, sang the kids to sleep at night and awakened them with her cheerful whistling and humming in the morning. Mom was cherished by all who knew her.