Tonya Lynn Mayo Pauly

Tonya Lynn Mayo Pauly, 62, passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Tonya lived a life defined by perseverance, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to helping others—even while carrying burdens of her own.

Tonya was raised in Boulder, Colorado, where she graduated from Fairview High School. She later attended the University of Colorado, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Experimental Psychology. During her time there, she met her husband, Dr. John Pauly. The couple married in 1989 and welcomed their daughter, Alexis.

Following Alexis’s birth, the family lived briefly in North Carolina and Texas before eventually settling in Jacksonville, Florida. Though Tonya and John later divorced, they remained on good terms, united in their enduring love and support for their daughter.

Tonya was a devoted and deeply loving mother. As her daughter lovingly described her, she was “someone who struggled, kept trying, loved imperfectly but genuinely, and fought hard for a life that was often cruel to her.” Despite the many challenges she faced, Tonya never stopped seeking connection, expressing love, and building meaningful relationships.

She cherished every stage of her daughter’s life, holding onto drawings, schoolwork, and keepsakes that reflected her pride and love. During Alexis’s elementary school years, Tonya volunteered regularly and remained actively involved in her education and growth.

Tonya later devoted much of her life to mental health advocacy and community service. She was deeply involved with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the Jacksonville Alliance for Mental Illness, serving as president of the Jacksonville Beaches group. She also played a key role in helping launch the Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) program with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, working to improve responses to individuals experiencing mental health crises.

Her commitment to service extended throughout the Jacksonville community. She established a mental health support group at River House along the Arlington Expressway and later developed a support program at Sulzbacher in downtown Jacksonville. Her advocacy eventually led her to work with the Duval County Jail, where she helped develop a mental health program focused on reducing recidivism and supporting individuals living with mental illness.

Inspired by her work and collaborations with mental health professionals, Tonya pursued and earned a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Springfield College in Tampa, Florida. Through her career, she helped many individuals regain stability, rediscover purpose, and move toward hope and healing.

Tonya’s life was not without hardship, but it was profoundly meaningful. She will be remembered not only for the challenges she endured, but for the compassion she shared, the advocacy she championed, and the resilience she embodied. Her strength, persistence, and dedication to others will continue to live on in the many lives she touched.

Tonya was preceded in death by her mother, Virginia Mayo, and her sister, Ceanne Mayo.

She is survived by her daughter, Alexis Pauly (Zach); her grandaughter, Mina; Alexis’s father, Dr. John Pauly; her father, Mack Mayo; her sister, Angie Darling (Steve); her brother-in-law, Jim Schofield; and her nieces and nephews, Mark Darling, Jessica Darling, Danielle Darling, Matthew Darling, Brett Darling, Heidi Kelly, and Logan Schofield.

"Funeral services will be held at 1pm, Saturday, June 13, 2026 at Cox Funeral Home, 611 North Washington St., Bastrop LA.

Interment will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery on Crossett Highway."

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to NAMI Jacksonville. You can donate online or mail a check to NAMI Jacksonville.

Mailing address:

40 E. Adams Street, Suite LL05

Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone:

(904) 724-7782

NAMI Official donation page:

namijax.org⁠