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Even though September 11 is the day that I log on to put in writing how much I miss my friend - I think about Maynard constantly. And 11 years later, despite the depression lingering over his loss, he still brings a smile to my face when I think of the times we had before this horrible day, 11 years ago. Maynard is still "OUTSTANDING" in my mind.

The one word that I will always remember about Maynard when asked how he was doing any day of any week and regardless of his overall mood or the issues he faced during the day was: "OUTSTANDING!!!".

That word is still prominently and proudly pinned to the wall in my office.

We will always remember.

Ron

I know most everyone who might read this page always called Maynard by that name, however, i knew him as "Jiff". I can still remember all the times we played basketball in my back yard, and how he would trash talk even when he was getting beat:-). However, you knew he was a true friend and cared deeply for you. We go back to the sixth grade and were still hanging out as great friends. Two weeks before 9/11, we were at a football game just having a blast. He was trully one of a kind and I'm thankful for the opportunity to be able to call him friend and to know it from my heart. Love you Dude.

I still can't believe that you're gone over a senseless act of selfish people. The last time I saw you you were so happy about buying the cabin and taking the wife and girls out for the weekend. I regret that I was too busy to do the usual lunch or dinner with you and the guys that Thursday but thought I would surely see you the next time you were back in Memphis. Unfortunately that day never came. On behalf of everyone who knew you from working on the Memphis Cook Convention Center project...you are truly missed and never forgotten.

Maynard, I can't tell you how often people still, ten years later, speak so positively about you. We miss you, your ever so positive attitude, jokes and determination. I think of your "bride" and girls often and hope they are okay. I know you are. We miss you.

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Time really has not dimenished the sense of loss we still feel for Maynard. He always had a smile on his face, happiness that shone through his life and the phrase on his lips: "If I were any better, I'd have to be twins." Maynard will always be missed.

Maynard,in honor of your life,you will forever be a blessed memory. May God's presence be with your loved ones and friends on this day of rememberance.

Susan

Time has not diminished the sense of loss over missing the fellowship of this great man. I think of him so often and the memories of his character still make me smile. I'll see you again some day good friend!

9/11/09. This will always be a tough day for me. We will never forget. Your spirit lives on my friend...

Steve and I continue to think of Maynard often, and today, 9-11, is always particularly difficult. Maynard, you continue to inspire our lives. We will never forget your zest for life, your love for Kristina and Shannon and your devotion to Barbara. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with them today, and all of your family and friends. So many lives you touched. We will be forever grateful you were a part of ours.

Steve and Pat Kirk

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As we remember Maynard on this day, he will forever be in our collective memory of all those lost on September 11, 2001. Maynard's laugh was so hearty; I can recall the times that he and I were compared to the grinning Cheshire Cat of Alice and Wonderland because we kept smiles on our faces. Well Maynard, I'm still smiling. Today I smile because of all the caring words and thoughts that your family at Marsh Atlanta has expressed in your honor.

Good morning G.I. Joe.

I know you are up there looking down on us now, especially today. I will never forget the discussions we had, both serious and yet fun all at the same time. You defined what we still do here in keeping people safe on our jobsites, and I know I can rest assured that someone seven years ago today was somehow touched by your grace and huge heart as I was. I will always be glad to have known you and I will always pray for you as well as for Barbara and the kids. You keep 'em safe up there and we'll try to continue your good work here. Til we meet again!!

Steve Meadows

Dear Maynard,

To this day I continue to remember your smiling face,laughter and the way you were always one of those people in life that you wanted to be around. I'm glad to have known you and I continue to pray for you.

Bill Grimes

MY CHILDREN SUFFER DAILY FOR THE LOSS OF THEIR FATHER AND I AS WELL. Jif (Maynard) will always be by their side as each day goes by. If any man new how to be a father, It was Jif (Maynard Smith Spence, Jr.. I wish all men could follow him.

Sheila

I had the pleasure of knowing Maynard. I met him back in the early ninetys at Jones Intercable where I was the Risk Manager. At the time he was working for Liberty Mutual and was the area Risk Manager. Maynard was so insperational in my life at the time. I was recently married with my first child who is now 20 years of age. I was imature and grasping for direction both in life and my career. He was both a mentor to my personal life as well career that has turned out great thanks to many good folks like Maynard. Man did he love life, his kids,and of course Barbara. We spent many hours talking about family and friends but I never saw someone light up like he did when he talked about his relationship with Barbara. Here it is Memorial weekend 2008 and I sit in my office still thinking of those close to my heart. A blessed weekend to both Maynard and my father Greg Wachman whom I lost in the ninetys.

Ken Wachman

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As a group of us prepare to play golf this week in North Georgia, we will be playing in the 7th Annual HedgeHog Cup remembering Maynard HedgeHog Spence who lost his life 9/11/01. We continue to remember Maynard and his family with our thoughts and prayers.

I worked with Maynard at Liberty. I always admired his conversations when he spoke of his wife Barbara and his daughters. You could hear it in his voice and see it in his smile the love he had for his girls.

I will always remember his laughter (and how the entire office could hear him!) He was a very happy man.

Barbara, May God comfort you always for your loss. And to his daughters, you meant everthing to him!

I'm headed down to Maynard's oldest daughter's college graduation next week. This is a particular time I am so sorry he'll miss. He would have been so proud of Kristina. She's grown into a remarkable woman. As has her sister, Shannon. The girls miss their father so much. And I miss my husband more than words can say.

Barbara Spence

I had to post here although I only spent some brief time with Maynard when we toured some Boston Construction sites together for about one as part of our joint effort with OCIP clients...

I read the tributes and concur 100% that this man was a cheerleader for life itself with a wonderful outlook and a marvelous spirit..

I thank God for having the chance to briefly know the man.

may he rest in peace..

Scott MacDoanld

Always a tough day, we will never forget you my friend.

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I play the trumpet and maynard wsa just such a isperation to me. I went to see and i met him, and got some pohots of us their on the web now and i would just like to say that know one will ever be able to take his place he was and still is the best trumpeter in the univeivs and i bet he is still doing his thing in his grave

My thoughts are of Maynard and all that dies in 911. My thoughts are also with Barbara Spence, Maynard's wife. I'm sure to this day, she has not fully recovered.

I say all this as someone that loves Barbara and would like all the families to get back to the way they were.

God Bless us all,

Barbara's Mother and Maynard's Mother-in-law.

I had the pleasure of meeting Maynard through a mutual friend at an annual golf outing in the Summer of 2001. This was Maynards first trip with the 40 or so guys that hook up each year to spend a long weekend in Northern Georgia. As fate would have it, Maynard and I were teamed together and rode together throughout the tournament. Although we had a mutual interest in the safety profession, it was his talk and insight on family life and personal values that I remember mostly from that trip. Immediately, it was obvious to everyone that he was truly a person that could light up a room with his smile and hearty laugh.

Thoughts and prayers to Manynard and all his friends and family. We have all been blessed to have know such a fine person, if only for a brief time.

When I begin to work for Marsh in 1998, I one day heard a strange laugh that rang out throughout the Claims Department. I would laugh every time I heard it. Finally one day after hearing it so much, I had to find out who was this person. I asked another colleague "who makes that funny laugh?" She replied, Maynard Spence. I walked around to his desk and introduced myself and told him how he made me laugh from hearing him even when I was having a bad day. From then on every time I came in contact with him, he made me smile. Such a loving, joyful, warm spirited person. I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet Maynard, his spirit, his kindness and most of all, HIS LAUGH.

Love Marshall

I worked with Maynard for only a short time at Staff Leasing in Bradenton Florida, however in that short time, i as many other found was amazed by his sense of humor and his love of life.

My sincere condolences to his wife Barbara.

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I worked with Maynard on several construction wrapups and had the privilege of having lunch with him a few days prior to Sept. 11th. We discussed his girls and their lives and how they forever changed his life. I guess the things I remember most about him is that when he came to see someone on our floor – everyone stopped what they were doing to see what the commotion was about. Maynard was always laughing that hardy laugh and that attracted people. I’ll end with two of his most famous sayings:

‘OUTSTANDING!’ and ‘If I was any better I’d have to be triplets’

You will always be remembered.

I worked in the same office as Maynard for only a few short years and yet I quickly got to know who he was because of his constant smile and positive attitude to life . I wish I could have got to know him better personally however it is a testimony to him that I have got to know him so well since 9/11 through his colleagues who never stop remembering him.

As 9/11/02 approaches he continues to help the rest of us appreciate what is really important.

As someone who didn't know him as well as I would have liked..........I know he will always be in our thoughts.

Maynard travelled so he was not in the office that often, but I always knew when he was by his unique laugh. Maynard had a laugh that made you get up and go see what was so funny. On most occassions he was just laughing at the joy of life, of seeing his friends, of being home.

I believe that attitude is the most important thing in life and I can only hope to have one half as good as Maynard's. We all miss him, we all remember him and we will NEVER forget him.

Keep on laughing Maynard so we can find you when we get there.

Andy Bradbury

Mike Hastings spoke for a few minutes about Maynard, speaking from the transcript below:

Maynard Spence - it's a name that sounds like it came straight out of Mayberry. In fact, Maynard was born and raised in North Carolina, but he didn't grow up as Maynard to his friends. I have it on good authority that folks in Maynard's hometown talk about growing up with their good friend "Jiff." I'm not from the south, and your ways are sometimes foreign and peculiar to me, but apparently, in the late 50's and in that particular part of North Carolina, moms nicknamed their sons after what they liked - and Maynard's mom liked Jiff peanut butter. And, from what I hear, that was a pretty cool nickname to have. Maynard grew up loving sports and competition. He was an excellent student, and graduated from Atlantic Christian College, now known as Barton College, in Wilson, NC. Maynard graduated with a degree in chemistry. I don't know if he ever tried to make a go of it as a chemist, but I do know that it didn't take Maynard long to find his true calling in life. Maynard joined Liberty Mutual Insurance Company as a loss control consultant, and stayed for the next fourteen years. Maynard established a reputation for dedication, preparation, and caring. I've heard people who worked with Maynard in his Liberty days speak reverently of the positive impact he had on their careers.

In 1997 Maynard was recruited by Johnson & Higgins, which is now part of Marsh. Maynard wasted no time in proving himself a tireless advocate of safety, and as his reputation grew he was called upon to assume regional and even national roles. It was in his role as a national asset of Marsh that Maynard was gathered in a conference room, on the 99th floor, of the south tower, of the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11th - a day that has been made all the more tragic for the loss of our friend. Many stories about Maynard's last moments have circulated, but if the truth is an aid to healing, here it is: Maynard was just a few floors above the location where the first plane, American Airlines flight 11, struck the tower, and it is most likely that he was killed almost instantly.

Maynard was our friend.

He was a strong man and with his crew cut and chiseled features he might have been intimidating, if he could have gone more than 10 seconds without smiling.

Maynards knowledge and experience was vast, but it was his ability to apply and communicate that knowledge that made him stand out. His input into a written safety plan was expert, his knowledge of OSHA code was unmatched, and he was exemplary in the classroom. But it was on the job site that Maynard truly distinguished himself to me. It was clear that Maynard loved his work, and that made his job come easily and naturally to him. He liked people, and it was clear to workers and management alike that Maynard cared about the guys on the job site. I can't count the number of times I heard him admonish a worker: "now, I know your family's counting on you coming home safe tonight." Maynard's caring was evident even on the rare occasions when he lost patience. I have seen first hand Maynard pause in mid conversation, emit an ear-piercing whistle, and shout to someone 50 yards across the job site: "Hey, mister, tie off!" But it would come out as "come on, you know better than that!" Because that's the way Maynard was. He never acted superior. He might lambaste stupid a cts, but not stupid people. I never knew Maynard to treat anyone with disrespect. Maynard was a dedicated father, and it was clear that he loved his daughters, Shannon, now 16, and Christine, now 19. He talked about them often. Maynards daughters live in Tampa with their mother, and are doing well. Christine has started college. It was clear that Maynard loved his wife, Barbara. Maynard commonly referred to Barbara as his bride, and often declared that "if a guy as ugly as me can get a beautiful woman like Barbara to marry him, that just goes to show that there's hope for anybody." They were great friends, and were often together. I found that out one evening when, as often happened, I reached Maynard on his cell phone while he was driving in his truck. Being a safe guy, he was naturally using a speakerphone, so that his eyes would be on the road, and his hands on the wheel. I can't remember what we were talking about, but something possessed me to add a colorful expletive to the conversation. Maynard interrupted, saying "Mike, I want to point that I have never heard you use that word before, because I have to tell you that my wife Barbara is sitting here beside me." After I got done apologizing, we shared a good laugh. Maynard made sure to announce Barbara's presence from then on, and a few times when she wasn't, just to keep me on my toes.

Barbara held a service for Maynard on October 13. It was the largest outpouring of good will that I have ever seen, and it was gratifying to watch Maynard's wife and daughters hear person after person share their personal stories about Maynard. About an hour into the service, one man stood up to take his turn and, in these or similar words, stated that he was a little disappointed by the stories he'd heard that day. He went on to explain: he said, "whenever I talked to Maynard on the phone, I got the clear impression that I was his best friend, because I was really special. Now, listening to all of you, I've found out that he made everybody feel that way."

That was Maynard.

Maynard used to say that he had the best boss in the world, and it was not by his choice that Gary Pohlmann couldn't be here today to accept this award for Maynard. He also used to say that he had the best job in the world, and a big reason for that was you people who are seated in this room today. He was proud of his CSP designation from the American Society of Safety Engineers, and was a strong advocate of certification for others. Maynard loved working with you, and being a part of the AGC. If you ever asked Maynard how he was, more often than not he would answer "if I was any better, there'd have to be two of me." I wish there were. Thank you.

After the luncheon, Cherri Watson of the AGC wrote the following:

Dear Mike:

I want to thank you for your presentation and accepting Maynard's plaque at the AGC Super Friday. Your recollection of Maynard was felt by all the members of the Georgia Branch, Associated General Contractor members.

I am so honored to have worked with Maynard these past years in the safety capacity. He always helped our association with his safety expertise and dedication. I, along with many others, will miss him.

You had a tough role to pull off this past Friday, but you did a wonderful job. I have heard many, many compliments on your behalf and want you to know that Maynard's friends and colleagues appreciate your remarks. You described Maynard as we remember him...a remarkable safety professional in our industry.

With Kindest Regards,

Cherri

Memo from Gary Pohlmann (Maynard's supervisor)

As many of you know, our friend and colleague, Maynard Spence, was an outstanding consultant who is missed by not only our Marsh family, but by many clients, insurance, construction and safety professionals. The impact that Maynard had continues to positively influence many.

On Friday, March 8, the Georgia Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America honored Maynard Spence for his contribution to construction safety. Maynard served on the AGC Safety and Health Committee for many years. He helped to organize the AGC Super Friday each year, and was a regular speaker on various safety topics. Maynard had already volunteered to speak at the 2002 conference.

In the AGC's November meeting, it was recommended and unanimously approved that the AGC honor Maynard at its march 8th Super Friday Conference. During lunch, Maynard was awarded a plaque stating the following:

In Honor of Maynard Spence

For his Dedication to the Georgia Branch,

Associated General Contractors of America,

and setting the high standards towards safety for the commercial construction industry

March 8, 2002

AGC Super Friday

The plaque is now hanging in the reception area, to the left of the reception desk, with Maynard's picture, hard hat, and encased American flag.

Mike Hastings spoke for a few minutes about Maynard, please look under Mike Hastings for actual transcript of speech.

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The most genuinely positive person I have ever known. At his memorial service (where they had to step in and stop the tributes after a 2 hour overrun on time) I thought one individual summed Manyard up when he stood up and said "I'm disappointed - I thought I was Maynard's best friend and today I hear that there are many people who feel THEY were Maynard's best friend." Maynard made me feel that way as well.

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