DEWITT MENYARD

May 24, 1944 - May 21, 2009
SOUTH BEND - Dewitt Menyard was born May 24, 1944, in Columbus, MS, to Mattie Hairston and Dewitt Minyard. Coming to South Bend, IN, in 1951 he attended Oliver then Linden Elementary Schools.

He graduated from Central High School where he excelled in basketball, going down-state to play in the state finals. He went to Allan Hancock University in California and graduated from Utah State. In 1967 he played professional basketball for the ABA Houston Mavericks in Texas. In 1968 he made the ABA All Star Team.

He also played professional basketball in Tours, France, where he met and married Odette Marie-Louise Arandel on July 8, 1974, in Tours, France. He also was a scout for the basketball team in Tours.

After coming back to the United States he worked at the Family and Children Center until his illness.

Dewitt leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife, Odette, and daughter, Yolaine Menyard. He is also survived by 10 brothers and sisters. Brothers, Albert Hairston and Willie Menyard of South Bend, Dewitt Minyard Jr. of Hammond, IN, and Gerald Minyard of Chicago; sisters, Mary Perry and Sandra Hairston, both of South Bend, Barbara Gadson of San Diego, CA, Minnie Hairston of Denver, CO, Mammie Minyard of Chicago and Kartherine Brown of Illinois.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Mattie Hairston, and father, Dewitt Minyard; and brothers, Willie Ben Hairston of Columbus, MS, and Earl P. Minyard of Detroit. He is survived by a host of nieces, nephews and cousins, and a host of other relatives and lifelong friends.

Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 20th, in St. John's Baptist Church, 102 N. Adams, South Bend, IN 46628.

Published by South Bend Tribune on Jun. 14, 2009.

02/10/2023 EJS