Obituary of Sammy Cannon Mayes

Funeral Services for Sammy Cannon Mayes of Elsberry, MO will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, March 10, 2017 at New Hope Baptist Church near Elsberry. Bro. John Zellmer, church pastor, will officiate with burial in the Elsberry City Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be Jeremy Mayes, Michael Mayes, Jason Mayes, Joel Johnson, Paul Dulle and Robert Bridge. Honorary pallbearers will be Matt Mayes, Josh Mayes, Forrest Lilley, Bob Weeks, Bob Bonney and Jim Mayes. Mr. Mayes, 90, passed away Tuesday morning, March 7, 2017 at his home. Born August 30, 1926 in Elsberry, he was the only child of Russel Taylor and Cava Blanche Weeks Mayes. A lifelong resident of Elsberry, Sammy was a 1944 graduate of Elsberry High School. He served his country in the United States Army from November 5, 1945 until he was Honorably discharged on November 6, 1946. He went on to attend Mizzou where he was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. Sammy was united in marriage on April 15, 1950 in Morrison, MO to Carol Frances Walterscheidt. This union was blessed with four children: Richard Cannon, Peggy Ann, William Edward and David Michael. Sammy was the current President of Mayes Farms, Inc. He was a 90 year member of New Hope Baptist Church. Active in the Elsberry community, Sammy was an original board member of the Elsberry Health Care Center, a position he still held. He was a 50 year member of the Elsberry Baseball Association, President of the Lincoln County Baseball Association, a 50 year member of the Elsberry Drainage District, and also a 50 year board member of the Bank of Lincoln County. Sammy loved watching Cardinal baseball, doing counted cross stitch, and conducting genealogy and ancestry research online. He wrote three books titled: “The History of New Hope Church,” "The Mayes Family” and “The Augustin(e) Family.” Sammy was preceded in death by his parents, Russel and Blanche Mayes. Survivors include his beloved wife of nearly 67 years, Carol Mayes of Elsberry; their children: Dick Mayes and his wife, Lisa, Peggy Dixon and her husband, Mike, Billy Mayes and his wife, Donna, and David Mayes and his wife, Fay, all of Elsberry; thirteen grandchildren: Beth Ann Johnson, Michael Cannon Mayes, Sally Ann Carver, Becky Ann Bridge, Jason Dale Mayes, Joshua Lee Mayes, Jeremy Edward Mayes, Matthew Aaron Mayes, Addison Ann Mayes, Samantha Jo Hoffner, Caitlyn Ann Pruitt, Aaron Dixon, Mandy Dixon; and nine great-grandchildren: Taylor Bridge, Bailey Bridge, Molly Carver, Ella Eaton, Cole Mayes, James Johnson, Ryan Mayes, Alivia Hoffner and Rylee Hoffner. Sammy also leaves his brother-in-law, Michael Walterscheidt and his wife, Beth, of Elgin, TX; sister-in-law, Mary Ann Chaney of Jefferson City, MO; numerous other relatives and countless friends. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Thursday, March 9, 2017 at New Hope Baptist Church near Elsberry. Memorials may be made to the New Hope Baptist Church (or) the Elsberry Ballpark Association in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 S. 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343.