Obituary of John W. Mayes

John William Mayes Funeral services for John William "Johnny" Mayes of Elsberry, MO were held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, February 14, 2006 at the New Hope Baptist Church near Elsberry. Rev. Clay Boley of the Cyrene Baptist Church and Rev. Barry Lagg of the New Hope Baptist Church officiated with burial in New Hope Cemetery near Elsberry. Serving as pallbearers were David Mayes, Greg Gatson, Sammy Mayes, Dick Mayes, Leslie Whiteside, DeWayne Whiteside, Charles Watson and Tim Hurley. Mr. Mayes, 89, died Saturday morning, February 11, 2006 at St. Joseph Hospital West in Lake Saint Louis, MO. Born March 9, 1916 on the family farm in the New Hope community near Elsberry, he was the son of the late Gus William and Belle Stone Mayes. A lifelong resident of northern Lincoln County, he graduated from Elsberry High School in 1933, and was a graduate of the Chillicothe Business College. He was united in marriage on July 30, 1938 in Elsberry to Martha Belle Whiteside. A farmer most of his life, he was a rural mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Elsberry for 30 years, retiring in 1979. Mr. Mayes was also a licensed Funeral Director and worked for 28 years for Miller Funeral Home in Elsberry. He was a current member of the Board of the Elsberry Health Care Center; and served on the Board of Education for the Lincoln County R-2 School District for nine years. He was a faithful and dedicated member of New Hope Baptist Church near Elsberry since 1928, serving as a Deacon and Sunday School Teacher for many years. He was a long-time clerk and moderator for Cuivre Baptist Association, and served as a lay speaker for Stewardship in area Baptist Churches for many years. Besides his parents, Gus and Belle Mayes, he was preceded in death by his beloved wife of almost 68 years, Martha B. Mayes who passed away January 17, 2006. Survivors include two sons: James L. Mayes and his wife, Louise, of Elsberry and Ronald Mayes of Elsberry; three grandchildren: Linda Stone and her husband, Allen, of Lawrenceville, GA, Jennifer Gatson and her husband, Greg, of Vandalia, MO and David Mayes of Hawk Point, MO. He also leaves one foster granddaughter, Melissa Rhodes of Elsberry; four great-grandchildren and two foster great-grandchildren, several cousins, other relatives and many friends. Visitation was held from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Monday, February 13, 2006 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be made to New Hope Baptist Church and New Hope Cemetery in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 South Fifth Street, Elsberry, MO 63343.