MAYNARD PLAHUTA
Maynard Joseph Plahuta, age 88, passed away at his home on September 19, 2026. He was
born August 29, 1938, in Sheldon, Wisconsin, the eldest child of Stanley and Florine (Mahal)
Plahuta.
Maynard grew up in the small, close-knit farming community of Sheldon, WI, spending many
hours on his grandparents’ farms of which he had fond memories. After graduating high
school, he obtained his bachelor’s and MBA degrees from the University of Wisconsin in
Madison, WI. In 1963, Maynard moved to Richland, WA, to begin a career with the US Atomic
Energy Commission, which later became the US Department of Energy (DOE). He worked for
the DOE until his retirement in 1998, serving in several roles including personnel director,
contract manager, site infrastructure manager and Hanford Intergovernmental & Congressional
Liaison Officer.
It was when he moved to Richland that Maynard met his wife of nearly 60 years, Yvonne
Charette. They were married in 1967 and together raised four children. Maynard was a loving
and devoted husband, father and grandfather who always made family his first priority.
Maynard was an active member of Christ the King Catholic Church, serving for several years as
a parish council member and giving much of his time to various volunteer and fundraising
activities within the parish and its school.
After his retirement, Maynard remained actively engaged in his community. He served on the
Hanford Advisory Board, the Richland City Economic Development Committee, the Hanford
Reach Advisory Council and the Nuclear Medicine Research Council as well as participating in
many other civic volunteer activities. Maynard was heavily involved with the B Reactor Museum
Association, serving as its president for eight years. In this role, he was instrumental in
establishing Hanford’s B Reactor as a national historic landmark and creating the Manhattan
Project National Historic Park.
In his spare time, Maynard took pleasure in pursuing his favorite hobbies. He greatly enjoyed
wood working and throughout the years created hand crafted furniture pieces for his children
and grandchildren. He had a love of gardening and, until his last days, spent hours tending to
the plants and flowers in his beautifully landscaped yard, always with a keen eye for eliminating
encroaching weeds. Maynard was also an avid fan of Seattle Mariners baseball as well as a
master at the game of solitaire and the art of making applesauce.
Maynard is survived by his beloved wife, Yvonne; his four children, Suzanne Suyama (Brian),
Michael Plahuta (Leilani Johnson), Janice Heineman (Jason), Catherine Crowder (Trevor); seven
grandchildren, Alexa (Bradley), Anna, Molly, Olivia, Kaia, Lily and Mason; a brother, Robert
Plahuta (Sue) and a sister, Mary Jo Vacho (John) as well as many nieces and nephews. He was
preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Linda Wise, and her husband, Rodney.
A Rosary will be held at Christ the King Catholic Church on Friday, October 2nd at 10:30 a.m.
followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m., also at Christ the King.
Maynard always had a smile and a kind word. He will be deeply missed by his family and all
those who had the pleasure to have known him. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in
Maynard’s memory to Catholic Charities or the Juvenile Type 1 Diabetes Research Foundation
(Breakthrough T1D).