Paul Ray Mayo, 90, passed away Friday, August 1, 2025, at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, Mississippi. He was born March 28, 1935, to Lester and Ruth McCreary Mayo. He was a proud Royal having graduated in 1953 from New Site High School. He was a member of East Prentiss Baptist Church where he taught Sunday School Class for over 65 years. He taught his final lesson on Sunday, July 27, 2025. He was retired from Parker Hannifin and enjoyed making vine wreaths and raising beagles in his retirement years.
Funeral services will be Sunday, August 3, 2025, at 4:00 PM at East Prentiss Baptist Church in New Site, Mississippi, with Bro. Casey Jackson and Bro. Ronnie Hatfield officiating. Burial will be in the East Prentiss Cemetery.
He is survived by sons, Danny Mayo (Cammie); Dennis Mayo (Lori); daughter, Amy Shook (Harvey); sisters, Becky McCutchen (Bruce); Ann Johnson; brother, Mack Mayo (Cynthia); grandchildren, Leslie Pounders (Jonathan); Scotty Mayo; Camrie Webb (Kyle); Cadan Mayo (Abby); Whitney Butler (Hank); Preston Mayo; Tyler Shook (Bridget); Dylan Shook (Candace); Maranda Harris; 15 great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren and a special friend, Betty Love.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Yvonne Moore Mayo; his parents; son, Ricky Dale Mayo; and grandson, Hunter Mayo.
His grandsons and great grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
Visitation will be from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM Saturday, August 2, 2025 at McMillian Funeral Home and two hours prior to service time at the church on Sunday.
The family respectfully requests that memorials be made to East Prentiss Cemetery in care of Lori Moore, 15 County Rd 3485, New Site, MS, 38859.
Daddy was a man of many trades. He drove various trucks and sold new Ford cars for Jim Byram Ford in Belmont and Red Bay before opening Belmont Auto Parts.
For many years, he assisted Mother with her bus route (School Bus #43). They drove to many extracurricular school activities. The kids on her route always fussed that they were never late for school because she would take her car to pick up kids while he got the bus cranked on cold mornings.
After the parts store burned, he went to work at Parker Hannifin in Booneville where he retired. He met many new friends as well as helping many people he knew in gaining employment. He was loved and well respected by all his “girls” as he called them.
Retirement did not leave him bored as he began to make wreaths from vines. He had a goal at one time to give every pastor in Prentiss County a crown of thorns made from vines. The past couple years he had scaled back a little and was mostly making Jesus fish from vines because they were easy and he so enjoyed giving them away to people.
He also loved trading and running Beagles. This had kept him very active and in good physical shape. He shared this passion with Danny, Scotty, Cadan and Dylan. Scotty and Cadan have been tasked just this week to care for two sets of newborn puppies. I know he is missed at First Monday this very weekend.
He often looked around at our big family and said “Look what a mess me and Von made”. He loved us all dearly, each and every one. His last action on this earth was playing with sweet Anne Thomas. One of her first words as Papaw.
He will be missed at my dinner table on Sundays. I am so thankful that he was my daddy and that my grandchildren had him if only for a short while.
Condolences may be left at www.mcmillanfuneralhome.com.
