STEVE A. MAYES

April 29, 1931- June 17, 2021

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Steve's Obituary

It is with the deepest sadness, we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved father and grandfather, Steve A. Mayes, 90, of Oklahoma City, on June 17th, 2021 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He was a caring, devoted, and loving son, brother, husband, father, uncle, and grandfather. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM, Thursday, July 15th, 2021 at Crown Heights Christian Church, 4020 N. Western, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Arrangements are by Demuth Funeral Home https://www.demuthfuneralandcremationsociety.com/. Steve was born in Oklahoma City to Luther E. and Elva I. (nee Twyman) Mayes on April 29th, 1931. He attended schools in Oklahoma City, graduating from Central High School in 1952. A semester of his senior year of high school was interrupted by the Korean Conflict. His enlistment activated sooner than expected and he entered active duty in the Marine Corps in the fall of 1949. After his Asia Pacific Service, he was transferred into the Marine Corps Reserves stationed in New Orleans, LA, which allowed him to complete his high school requirements. Steve was honorably discharged in 1952 following the completion of his term of service. He continued his education at OSU in 1952 in Engineering Technology and pledging to Phi Delta Theta fraternity. With additional courses at UCO and OCU, he graduated with a Technical Drafting Associate Degree in 1956. He took many additional technical training courses during his professional career. He married Joy L. (nee Hall) Mayes on March 4th, 1954 in Oklahoma City at Brookline Baptist Church and enjoyed almost 61 years of marriage together before her death in 2014. A daughter, Sherry, and a son, Scott, followed their loving marriage. Steve began his professional career as a draftsman for Brown Mfg., Star Mfg., and GE. He continued as a Design Engineer with LTV Electrosystems, and as a Senior Design Engineer with Kerr-McGee Corp. Nuclear Div., Marine Div. (Transworld), and Fuels Div. before taking early retirement in 1986. He continued as a consultant with Kerr-McGee for many more years. In Steve’s early and middle fatherhood years, he enjoyed fishing and tinkering with model trains. Like many of his generation, he was a do-it-yourselfer and shade-tree mechanic, always building, fixing, and tinkering. In his later years, when computers came along, he enjoyed “relearning” drafting and designing. Nevertheless, his true heart was in radio-controlled airplanes: building, designing, flying, and enjoying them with other hobbyists. In his retirement years, The Oklahoma Radio Kontrol Society [TORKS] was the best entertainment of all: better than any honors, awards, or other achievements. Steve is preceded in death by his wife, Joy, his parents, Elva and Luther, his in-laws, Esther Jean (nee Lindsey) Hall Earsom and Herbert J. Earsom, his brother-in-law, Donald D. Hall and his wife, Patricia Jo Ann Hall. Steve is survived by his loving and adoring children: his daughter, Sherry, and her husband, Keith; his son, Scott, and his wife, Stephanie; Steve’s brother, Don, and his wife, Patty; the “lights of his life”, his grandchildren: Rachelyn, Kory, Alannah, and Russell; nieces, Kim and Kristi and their families; and nephews, David, Mike, and Don and their families. The Mayes family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Hospice of Green Country, with the best hospice team, and Brookdale Cedar Ridge Assisted Living staff for their loving and watchful care during his residency and throughout COVID-19, both entities of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to “Homes for our Troops”, https://www.hfotusa.org/, or his beloved church, Crown Heights Christian Church https://crownheights.church/. Steve will always be remembered and cherished by his family: He lived well and he lived fully.