Major Joseph John Mays, April 17, 1936 — January 12, 2019

Major Joseph’s Obituary Major Joseph John Mays, 82, passed away Saturday, January 12, 2019, in Yukon, OK. Joseph was born April 17, 1936, in Salt Lake City, UT to parents Miles & Effie (Barrows) Mays. They moved to Oklahoma City when he was two.

Joe graduated from Old Central High School (OKC) in 1954 and enlisted in the Army Reserve that same year. Joe’s military career lasted 28 years, including more than a year beginning in 1961 active duty during the Berlin Wall Crisis. Joe retired a Major.

After high school, Joe went to Journalism school at the University of Oklahoma. During his newspaper career, he worked as a reporter, photographer, and salesman at newspapers in Sapulpa, Guymon, Anadarko, and Oklahoma City. In 1989 Joe returned to public service taking a position as an operations officer with the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.

He traveled the state working with and helping Oklahomans until his retirement in 2004. Joe was past president of the Oklahoma City Grid Iron Club and Foundation. He also served as a board member for the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame, Historic Fort Reno, the Yukon Veteran’s Museum, and Canadian County Friends of the NRA.

He was also a member of the Oklahoma Rifle Assoc. , and Tri-City Gun Club. Joe loved God, family, country, and the Sooners in that order.

Joe was preceded in death by his mother, Effie; father, Miles; brother, Kendall; step-daughter, Kathy, and wife Bernita. Joe is survived by his son, Glenn Mays and wife Kendra; granddaughter, Jackie Baker and husband Brandon; great-grandchildren, Jasmine and Jaden Baker; grandson Robert Baine, brother, Claren Mays and wife Rita; sister, Mignone Chapman, and their families and five step-children: Dan, Steve and Kevin Markus, Karen Kolar and Karla Tull and their families. Donations may be made to St. John Nepomuk Catholic School, P.O. Box 850249, Yukon, OK 73085.

Wake services will be held at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 22, 2019, at the Yanda & Son Funeral Home Chapel, Yukon, OK. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, January 23, at St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church, Yukon, with interment following at Frisco Cemetery, Yukon, OK.

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