Belva I. "Bea" Mayes

Funeral services for Belva Irene “Bea” Mayes will be held 2:00PM, Saturday, April 13, 2019 at the Hale’s Memorial Chapel in Sulphur, with Pastor Willard McCartney, Jr officiating. Interment will follow at the Oaklawn Cemetery in Sulphur.

Bea was born September 11, 1928 in Sparks, OK to the late Charles Smiley and Edna Belle (Jones) Crary. She died Wednesday, April 10, 2019 in Davis, at the age of 90 years. Bea and John Stanley Mayes were united in marriage on February 14, 1953 in Aikens, South Carolina. He preceded her in death on December 28, 2003.

Bea grew up in Sparks. She was the valedictorian of the Sparks High School, Class of 1946. Following high school, she operated a cigar stand at the First National Bank in Shawnee, prior to spending several years working at the Sylvania Lighting Company. In 1960, she and her family moved to Sulphur where she devoted her time to raising her daughters, Cindy and Marcie. In 1968, Bea began working as a house parent at the Oklahoma School for the Deaf, retiring in 1991. Bea was an avid reader. She also enjoyed making homemade Christmas candy. Bea was very devoted to her grandchildren and spent countless hours traveling and watching them play sporting events.

Survivors include her daughters, Cindy Greenlee & husband D.L. of Sulphur and Marcie McNeill & husband Mark of Thomas, OK; five grandchildren, Steve Saunders & wife Jerri Dawn, Jake Saunders, Shelby Brown & husband Jimmie, Mason McNeill & wife Joan and Morgan McNeill & wife Timber; as well as eight great-grandchildren and nine great-great grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and husband, Bea was preceded in death by her brother, Donald Crary and son-in-law, Butch Saunders.

Serving as pallbearers will be Steve Saunders, Jake Saunders, Mason McNeill, Morgan McNeill, Jimmie Brown and Derek Whiten.