James Mayfield Damon

James Mayfield Damon passed away peacefully on April 15, 2015 at age 78. In keeping with his wishes a celebration of life for family, friends and neighbors will take place on Saturday, May 16 from 2 to 4 pm at 701 South Main Street in Georgetown, Texas.

Mayfield was born in Winfield, Texas on February 24, 1937 to Sylvester Winn Damon and Helen Holmes. He grew up in Houston, Texas where he graduated from Lamar High School in 1954. He received his BA in History from Wayne State University in Detroit and his MA in German and Comparative Literature from the University of Texas in Austin. Over the years he worked in various jobs but mostly in real estate, remodeling old houses.

Among his many passions and lasting a lifetime were the translations of German literature into English. Many are available online. Most recently he completed a nineteenth century work by Jean Paul which is the only English translation in existence. In recognition of his efforts, he was recently invited to join the editorial board of a distinguished literary magazine.

Mayfield also was a civil libertarian who was instrumental in having the "vagrancy" law of Texas overturned by the United States Supreme Court. In Austin he founded the first chapter of BNB which then developed into The Yellow Bike Project.

Mayfield is survived by his wife Johanna, his sons, Lamar of Los Angeles and Christopher and wife, Judith, of Georgetown, and his grandchildren Samuel, Benjamin and Alana.

The family wishes to thank Drs. Melear and Dziuk of Texas Oncology, Dr Pham of Austin Gastroenterology as well as the nurses and staff of the seventh floor at Seton Medical Center for their excellent care and compassion.