Grandpa Mayo was born September 6, 1932. He passed away April 26, 2022. This post is dedicated to him.
Grandpa Mayo became my Grandpa almost 12 years ago when I married Josh. He has treated me as one of his own granddaughters from the beginning. He was an amazing man of God, and a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
I don't know how long the obituary link will be live. I assume forever, but just in case, I am going to copy and paste it here:
Obituary for Raymond Louis Mayo
Raymond Louis Mayo was born on September 6, 1932, in Longview, Texas to Harry Mayo and Lena Alvina Heene. He passed away on April 26, 2022, in Provo, Utah surrounded by his family who sang him into the next life with the songs of Zion that he loved. He was 89 years and 7 months old.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Leanne Agnes Beer; five children: Lisa (Shaun), Dana (Gary), Molly, Jeremy (Chiaki), Kimi (John); 14 grandchildren: Lisanne, Mitch, Devon, Chelsie, Erin, Kelly, Josh, Jarom, Sadie, Spencer, Raymond, Sarah, Asher, Stella; 14 great grandchildren; siblings: Katherine and Alvin (Diana); many nieces and nephews who adored him.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Harry Jr.; his son, Michael Raymond.
Raymond had the gift of storytelling. His tales of a boyhood spent running barefoot with his brother among the long needle pines of East Texas were like something out of Huckleberry Finn—their mama cooking up the rabbits and birds they hunted and the fish they caught for supper. Raymond preserved these stories in his book, Ruminations: Recollecting Life in East Texas during the Great Depression and the Great War by A Child and Beneficiary of The Greatest Generation. Raymond inherited his mother’s gift for cooking. As a result, breakfast in our Daddy’s kitchen was a particular family favorite—especially the buttermilk biscuits.
Raymond graduated from Longview High School and enlisted in the United States Navy when he was 18 years old. He served as a submariner on the USS Volador SS-490: a WWII submarine. He turned 21 years old under the frigid Arctic waters of the East Siberian Sea. It was during a military exercise 400 feet below the Pacific on his hands and knees in the battery well—the closest space in the closest of spaces—that he began his lifelong relationship with the Lord, knowing that even in that tiny hole under the sea, God knew who he was, where he was, and that he was not alone. Raymond wrote about this transformative time in his life in his book, Diving Lessons: Being an Account of Life Lessons Learned Aboard a U.S. Submarine in the Korean War.
Raymond was a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the North Central States Mission (1955 – 1957). He said that the Navy taught him to be a man, and his mission taught him to be a Christ-centered man. He recounted his life as a Mormon missionary in his book, Spreading The Word.
Raymond enrolled at BYU on the G.I. Bill where he met and married Leanne Agnes Beer on December 19, 1958, in the Salt Lake Temple. This union was the beginning of his dream of having a large family—sitting by a fireside with children all around and a baby in his lap — and the fulfillment of Leanne’s patriarchal blessing which promised her a companion who would love her as he loved his own flesh. As a Daddy, there was nothing he couldn’t fix. He always had a tool, a salve, a word, or a kiss to make everything all better.
Raymond graduated from BYU Business School and earned an MBA from Indiana University. He then began his career and grew his family in San Jose, California. He and Leanne carved deep impressions in their church, professions, and community while rearing their family of six children. They were good and busy years, but something was missing. Raymond had an affable and charming personality and was always able to provide by selling something: medical, beauty, and office supplies, as well as books and stocks. Making a good living fed his family, but it did not feed his soul. In 1976, Raymond made a long-prayed-for career change and began selling something that truly benefited his clients: life insurance. This also facilitated another long-yearned-for change: a return to small-town life. Raymond moved his family to Twin Falls, Idaho to begin his 17-year career with Beneficial Life. He always said that the 6 years he spent in Twin Falls were some of his happiest.
Raymond concluded his career with Beneficial Life as the Salt Lake City Agency Manager, which brought him and Leanne full circle to Utah, where they began. He summarized his career and family life in his book, The Hollow of His Hand, in which he attests that life need not be perfect to be happy and satisfying, and that all things work together for our good.
In 1996 Dad took off his wristwatch, traded his power ties for flower ties, and retired to his cozy country home in Midway, Utah where he spent 26 years pursuing what he loved most: turning wood in his shop; hosting grand family gatherings; gardening; reading scripture, history, and philosophy; writing letters “to the editor”—and authoring six books! His final book, A Guide to Greatness, brings together the writings of the thinkers that affected him most—among whom were Emerson, Thoreau, and Tolstoy. To their words, he added his own “Theory of Everything,” which follows:
EVERYTHING has always been and will always be. Matter, life, spirit is eternal. There is no beginning and there will be no end.
EVERYTHING is the effect of a cause and, in turn, becomes a cause. The only constant in all of creation is constant change.
EVERYTHING is an integral part of everything else. From the smallest atom to the farthest galaxy, it is all one. Nothing exists alone.
EVERYTHING in all creation is unique. No two things are exactly alike, not even two grains of sand along the seashore.
EVERYTHING has a time, a place, and a purpose. Nothing exists by accident, chance, or caprice. There is order in all things.
EVERYTHING is self-perpetuating. The laws of inertia and of attraction apply to all things. Good begets good. Bad begets bad.
EVERYTHING in all creation is always in balance. What we gain here, we lose there. The whole remains the same. Gain and loss are entire.
EVERYTHING is governed by inexorable, eternal, universal law. Even the God of all creation operates by those laws.
EVERYTHING is perfected by love without cost or obligation. Love benefits all humanity and demands nothing. Love is always the answer.
Raymond Mayo lived with intention, wit, purpose, passion, and depth. Being acquainted with Raymond was to be enriched. To be in his family was to be blessed. Oh! How he will be missed!
Grandpa Mayo wrote books about his life.. When Grandma and Grandpa Mayo came to meet us in Southern Utah in February this year, they gave us a boxed set of all of his books. It was such a special gift to receive that we will always cherish. We were so grateful they came to our cabin and Kanab. Somehow Josh and I knew it would be the last time in this life that we saw him. He was so alive and in such a good state at that time. It was a nice goodbye.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Leanne Agnes Beer; five children: Lisa (Shaun), Dana (Gary), Molly, Jeremy (Chiaki), Kimi (John); 14 grandchildren: Lisanne, Mitch, Devon, Chelsie, Erin, Kelly, Josh, Jarom, Sadie, Spencer, Raymond, Sarah, Asher, Stella; 14 great grandchildren; siblings: Katherine and Alvin (Diana); many nieces and nephews who adored him.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Harry Jr.; his son, Michael Raymond.
Raymond had the gift of storytelling. His tales of a boyhood spent running barefoot with his brother among the long needle pines of East Texas were like something out of Huckleberry Finn—their mama cooking up the rabbits and birds they hunted and the fish they caught for supper. Raymond preserved these stories in his book, Ruminations: Recollecting Life in East Texas during the Great Depression and the Great War by A Child and Beneficiary of The Greatest Generation. Raymond inherited his mother’s gift for cooking. As a result, breakfast in our Daddy’s kitchen was a particular family favorite—especially the buttermilk biscuits.
Raymond graduated from Longview High School and enlisted in the United States Navy when he was 18 years old. He served as a submariner on the USS Volador SS-490: a WWII submarine. He turned 21 years old under the frigid Arctic waters of the East Siberian Sea. It was during a military exercise 400 feet below the Pacific on his hands and knees in the battery well—the closest space in the closest of spaces—that he began his lifelong relationship with the Lord, knowing that even in that tiny hole under the sea, God knew who he was, where he was, and that he was not alone. Raymond wrote about this transformative time in his life in his book, Diving Lessons: Being an Account of Life Lessons Learned Aboard a U.S. Submarine in the Korean War.
Raymond was a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the North Central States Mission (1955 – 1957). He said that the Navy taught him to be a man, and his mission taught him to be a Christ-centered man. He recounted his life as a Mormon missionary in his book, Spreading The Word.
Raymond enrolled at BYU on the G.I. Bill where he met and married Leanne Agnes Beer on December 19, 1958, in the Salt Lake Temple. This union was the beginning of his dream of having a large family—sitting by a fireside with children all around and a baby in his lap — and the fulfillment of Leanne’s patriarchal blessing which promised her a companion who would love her as he loved his own flesh. As a Daddy, there was nothing he couldn’t fix. He always had a tool, a salve, a word, or a kiss to make everything all better.
Raymond graduated from BYU Business School and earned an MBA from Indiana University. He then began his career and grew his family in San Jose, California. He and Leanne carved deep impressions in their church, professions, and community while rearing their family of six children. They were good and busy years, but something was missing. Raymond had an affable and charming personality and was always able to provide by selling something: medical, beauty, and office supplies, as well as books and stocks. Making a good living fed his family, but it did not feed his soul. In 1976, Raymond made a long-prayed-for career change and began selling something that truly benefited his clients: life insurance. This also facilitated another long-yearned-for change: a return to small-town life. Raymond moved his family to Twin Falls, Idaho to begin his 17-year career with Beneficial Life. He always said that the 6 years he spent in Twin Falls were some of his happiest.
Raymond concluded his career with Beneficial Life as the Salt Lake City Agency Manager, which brought him and Leanne full circle to Utah, where they began. He summarized his career and family life in his book, The Hollow of His Hand, in which he attests that life need not be perfect to be happy and satisfying, and that all things work together for our good.
In 1996 Dad took off his wristwatch, traded his power ties for flower ties, and retired to his cozy country home in Midway, Utah where he spent 26 years pursuing what he loved most: turning wood in his shop; hosting grand family gatherings; gardening; reading scripture, history, and philosophy; writing letters “to the editor”—and authoring six books! His final book, A Guide to Greatness, brings together the writings of the thinkers that affected him most—among whom were Emerson, Thoreau, and Tolstoy. To their words, he added his own “Theory of Everything,” which follows:
EVERYTHING has always been and will always be. Matter, life, spirit is eternal. There is no beginning and there will be no end.
EVERYTHING is the effect of a cause and, in turn, becomes a cause. The only constant in all of creation is constant change.
EVERYTHING is an integral part of everything else. From the smallest atom to the farthest galaxy, it is all one. Nothing exists alone.
EVERYTHING in all creation is unique. No two things are exactly alike, not even two grains of sand along the seashore.
EVERYTHING has a time, a place, and a purpose. Nothing exists by accident, chance, or caprice. There is order in all things.
EVERYTHING is self-perpetuating. The laws of inertia and of attraction apply to all things. Good begets good. Bad begets bad.
EVERYTHING in all creation is always in balance. What we gain here, we lose there. The whole remains the same. Gain and loss are entire.
EVERYTHING is governed by inexorable, eternal, universal law. Even the God of all creation operates by those laws.
EVERYTHING is perfected by love without cost or obligation. Love benefits all humanity and demands nothing. Love is always the answer.
Raymond Mayo lived with intention, wit, purpose, passion, and depth. Being acquainted with Raymond was to be enriched. To be in his family was to be blessed. Oh! How he will be missed!
Grandpa Mayo wrote books about his life.. When Grandma and Grandpa Mayo came to meet us in Southern Utah in February this year, they gave us a boxed set of all of his books. It was such a special gift to receive that we will always cherish. We were so grateful they came to our cabin and Kanab. Somehow Josh and I knew it would be the last time in this life that we saw him. He was so alive and in such a good state at that time. It was a nice goodbye.
The last week of his life, we were able to video call and talk with him several times. We could tell he was getting progressively worse. His final day, while he was in the hospital with family gathered around, we were able to tell him we love him and say goodbye via video one more time. I am so grateful for technology. Sadie was so nice to let us stay on the video for hours while Grandpa told stories before they took him off of the meds. We also watched and waited for the sacred moment when he would go home to Heavenly Father. We are three hours ahead of Utah time, so I went to bed, and Josh didn't quite make it to the time of Grandpa's passing, but I know he was so grateful that he got to be a part of those last moments with the rest of the family.
As noted in the obituary, Grandpa was a navy guy. He has some pretty awesome stories from his time in the submarine.
Payson was Grandma and Grandpa Mayo's first great grandson. All of my children love and cherish their Great Grandparents. I know Grandpa and Grandma always wanted to hold those babies of ours.
During the Covid era, where everyone wasn't suppose to hang out with everyone else, Grandma and Grandpa still let us come visit for a couple hours. We wore masks to keep them safe, but we were so glad we were able to see them. We got a classic Covid picture with masks hanging off our chins.
One memory I have is when Zaylee was sleeping, and Grandpa said, "Give her here." He held her while she slept, and my arms were free. He always loved giving and getting hugs from my kids. I am glad to have so many memories of times where we tried to get pictures with everyone smiling and looking at the camera at the same time with Grandma and Grandpa.
I have lots of pictures of times spent with Grandpa with our kiddies, but there was times before Payson was born that our in my memory, as well. One in particular time was after Josh and I got married. My phone fell in the toilet at their house, and I was trying to blow it dry with blow-dryer. The family was about to say a prayer, but I didn't hear, so Grandpa hollered up at me to "Turn that Thing off!" I turned if off, alright, but I also remember feeling love in his command, even though he didn't know me too well, yet.
Here are a few pictures of times we spent with Grandpa before our babies came along.
The kids and I were not able to fly to Utah for the funeral, however, we made it work for Josh, and I am so glad we did. He needed to be there with his family, and he needed to take part in the celebration. I wanted to be there, but it just wasn't feasible with paying for 6 last minute international airplane tickets. Josh's ticket alone was a pretty penny. Thankfully, he had some miles to help cover the cost.
I was able to watch the celebration virtually. I am not going to lie- I bawled the whole time wishing I could be there. It was a rough week the week he died because I really just wanted to give everyone hugs, and try to be a strength for my mother-in-law and family. I hope I was at least a strength for Josh. The Celebration of Raymond's life was beautiful with his daughters singing and grandkids sharing memories and other wonderful honors for Grandpa. I attempted to capture a picture of the casket, in which, Josh's cousins made, but the computer screen did not give the picture the best quality.
Josh was a pallbearer, so when they brought the casket in, I was able to snap a picture of him carrying it.
Grandpa Mayo was a blessing to all our lives. We love him! We will miss him! We will see him again!
No comments:
Post a Comment