Gary Dean Mayes

Gary was born on May 10, 1955, to AJ and Margaret Mayes of Plano, Texas. He was the fourth of five children, however his baby sister Rebecca passed away shortly before birth, leaving him as the baby of the family. He earned the nickname “Rooster” from a family friend early in life due to his red hair and fiery temper. The nickname stuck and remained applicable throughout his life even when his red hair faded. As a life-long resident of the Plano area, it wasn’t uncommon for him to be out and about and have someone he hadn’t seen in ages call out “Rooster!” or “you one of them Mayes boys?”

Gary met his first love Elise “Lisa” Riley when he was 15. They later married and had a daughter, Margaret “Maggie” Mayes-Lindquist, before divorcing shortly after her birth in the early 80s. Gary then met his second love Valerie Trayler whom he married in 1985. They had a son, Brannon Glenn Mayes, in 1986 and were together until her passing in 2011.

From a young age, Gary loved cars. He was a mechanic for many years, which was a natural fit considering his hobby was buying and selling cars. He especially loved Corvettes and owned quite a few throughout the years. He worked in management at Brake-o for many years before deciding to leave the corporate world and start his own home and lawn care business known as Gary’s Home and Lawn Care. Shortly after starting his business, he hired a kid named Alex Lopez who would eventually become like a second son to him. Alex worked side by side with him for 20+ years and has recently taken over the business.

Gary loved music of all kinds and could often be seen unabashedly singing, playing air guitar and the dash piano with the windows down and the music up while driving from job to job. He enjoyed “tumble turding” (one of his many colorful Gary-isms) around on the guitar as well as the piano. He was a collector of many things, from vintage radios and cameras to wooden sculptures–we liked to tease him that he was an organized hoarder. He was an animal lover and always had a plethora of pets, from cats and dogs to birds and fish, even a potbellied pig at one time. He had the biggest heart under that seemingly gruff exterior. He could make the most mundane recounting of his day into a hilarious story, albeit peppered with some very colorful language. He was a great man, dad and Grumpa (like a regular Grandpa, only grumpier).

Gary is preceded in death by his wife Valerie Trayler Mayes, ex-wife Lisa Riley Jacobs, his parents AJ and Margaret Mayes, his sister Rebecca Mayes, and his nephew Greg McBride. Gary is survived by his daughter Maggie Lindquist, son-in-law Joe and granddaughter Farryn Lindquist (Richardson), his son Brannon Mayes (Plano), his sisters Linda Kocher and her husband Jerry (McKinney), Brenda McBride and her husband Jerry (Midlothian), his brother Guion Mayes and his wife Susan (McKinney), and his nieces and nephews: Jeff Kocher and his wife Missy, Julie McBride, Jason McBride and his wife Gail, Matt Mayes, and Nic Mayes and his wife Madison.

A private memorial service will take place at a later date at the Ted Dickey Funeral Home in East Plano with the Rev. Brian McPherson officiating. For the public it will be live streamed on Facebook. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Gary’s name to your favorite animal charity.