Joseph Cephas Mayes Jr. obituary
Mr. Joseph Cephas Mayes Jr., age 91, of Murfreesboro, TN passed away on November 25, 2020, in the company of several loved ones. He was born and raised in the Farmington Community of Marshall County, TN and was the son of the late Joseph C. and Ruth Clayton Mayes. Raised on a 400-acre farm, Joe learned early in life the value of hard work and earned numerous awards as a young man for raising crops and livestock.
Joe received a degree in Agriculture in 1951 from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he was a brother in the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. Returning to Farmington, he operated the family farm with his older brother William until the late 1950s.
In 1953, Joe was introduced by mutual friends to Ruth Virginia Fisher who was then a student at David Lipscomb College. Love blossomed quickly and marriage was proposed after only six weekends of dating! Joe and Ruth married on September 12, 1953 in Detroit, MI with Ruth’s uncle, John C. Williams, presiding. In 1957, Joe and Ruth moved with their two daughters, Virginia and Carol, to make their home for eleven years near Ruth’s family in Walled Lake, MI. Joe and Ruth returned to Middle Tennessee in 1968, settling in Murfreesboro with their daughters and their elder son, Joe III. They established their membership with North Boulevard church of Christ and the family grew to six with the birth of their son, David.
Joe spent over 40 years in the insurance industry starting with Prudential but working for most of his career as an owner/partner in independent agencies in Michigan and Tennessee. Joe was active with the Murfreesboro Lions Club for many years and a dedicated supporter and Trustee of Middle Tennessee Christian School. Joe was never idle – whether it was his home, his garden, his family, his friends, or his community, he was always engaged in building, maintaining, planting, growing, nourishing, enriching, and giving. He served the congregation at North Boulevard as a faithful member, deacon, and for over 30 years as an elder. He will be remembered by many for his visits and prayers before, during, and after their own or loved ones’ surgeries and illnesses.
Joe is survived by his wife of 67 years, Ruth Virginia Mayes; children, Ginny Pearcy and her husband Bill of Murfreesboro, Carol Lowe and her husband Barry of Christiana, TN, Joe C. Mayes, III and his wife Chrysse of Ashburn, VA, and David Mayes and his wife Gretchen of Columbus, OH; eleven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren, all of whom he was so proud. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his parents-in-law, Charles H. and Margaret A. Fisher, and siblings, William Mayes, Carolyn Eaves and her husband Ray, and Jane Batey and her husband Ben.
Visitation with the family will be Sunday, November 29, 2020 from 1:00pm until 2:30pm at North Boulevard Church of Christ. Funeral services will be held Sunday, November 29, 2020 at 2:30pm at North Boulevard Church of Christ. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.
An online guestbook is available for the family at www.woodfinchapel.com. Woodfin Memorial Chapel (615) 893-5151.
