"Joe took an chance on hiring me to do employee benefits at Miller Canfield in 1982. He taught me a lot about what became my field of specialization. He was very quiet but took great delight in making subtly humorous remarks--he'd have a twinkle in his eye. He also had the tiniest writing and would use small pieces of scrap paper to leave me notes--I would have to have them translated by his wonderful secretary. I honor Joe as a man of great intelligence, integrity and grace. Please accept my sympathies. Nancy Keppelman (Miller Canfield 1982-1989, Stevenson Keppelman Associates 1989-2015 Butzel Long 2015-present.)"
In loving memory of
Joseph Farwell Maycock, Jr.
June 8, 1930 - July 28, 2022
Joseph Farwell Maycock, Jr., 92, of Grosse Pointe Farms, passed away on Thursday, July 28, 2022. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Margaret "Peggy" Shaw Maycock; daughters, Suzannah Maycock Brown and Molly Maycock Ilkhanoff; son, John Farwell Maycock; sons-in-law, Michael Vernon Brown and Leonard Ilkhanoff; daughter-in-law, Katherine Graves Maycock; sister, Anne Maycock Merlino; grandchildren, Molly and Zachary Brown, Leila and Will Ilkhanoff, Bennett and Griffith Maycock. He was predeceased by his parents, Annie Richmond Maycock and Joseph Farwell Maycock.
Joe was born in Buffalo, New York and moved as a young boy to Grosse Pointe, Michigan where he attended the Detroit University School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Hamilton College in 1952 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School in 1955. After graduation from law school, he served for two years in the Army, stationed in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
Joe practiced law at Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone in Detroit from 1958 until 2004, at which point he transitioned to "retired, of counsel" until 2013. He was an active member of Christ Church Grosse Pointe where he held roles as Chancellor, member of the Finance Committee and Senior Warden of the Vestry. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Detroit Society for the Blind.
Joe was kind, calm and steady, with a wonderful quick wit. Those who knew him well enjoyed his perfectly timed and delivered quips. He always held true to his values of honesty and integrity and worked to instill the importance of these values in his children. When his children were young, Joe loved watching their swim meets, lacrosse matches and ice hockey games. Joe was active his whole life; he played tennis, went jogging, and tinkered in his garden well into his 80s. He also loved traveling with Peggy. A life-long learner, Joe spent hours each day reading; he loved learning about history, and especially enjoyed his time learning alongside several dear friends through his membership in Witenagemote.
A memorial service for Joe will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 17, 2022 at Christ Church in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Myopia Center of Excellence at the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University to further myopia research. Please make checks payable to Stanford University and write on the memo line of the check: "In memory of Joseph Maycock, Jr. for Myopia Research - Ophthalmology." Please mail checks to: Medical Center Development, Stanford University, 485 Broadway, Fourth Floor, Redwood City, 94063.