Obituary of Stanley C. Mayhew

Stanley C. Mayhew, aged 82 years, 9 months, and 12 days passed from this world on the afternoon of the 7th of August. Dad passed from Stage IV Lung Cancer following chemo, radio, and immunotherapies. He passed quietly in his sleep while being cared for by the fantastic caregivers at William Childs Hospice Center in Palm Bay, Florida.

Dad is survived by five siblings Jean Benton (Loganville, GA), Patsy Slye (Newport News, VA), Ray Mayhew (wife Margie, Williamsburg, VA), Bobby Mayhew (Hampton, VA), and Jimmy Mayhew (wife Nance, Hampton, VA). His two sons and grandchildren continue his legacy, Barry Mayhew (Centerville, OH), Brian Mayhew (Palm Bay, FL), April Mayhew (Umatilla, FL), Emma Mayhew (Kettering, OH) and Samuel Mayhew (Kettering, OH). Dad also has many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

Dad was born in Pittslvania, VA, the third of six children born to Clarence and Margaret Mayhew (both deceased). His father worked to provide for his family in many ways due to the depression, from farming to fencing properties to working for the railroad while his mother raised him and his siblings. The family eventually settled in a home in Hampton, VA where Dad graduated from Hampton High School (Class of ‘58). Dad was determined to attend college and was accepted into NASA’s COOP program which allowed him the opportunity to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Science (BS) in Engineering Mechanics. Dad graduated from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI, now VT), Blacksburg, VA with the class of 1964. After graduation, Dad married my mother, Glenda B. Mayhew (deceased Oct 2019) in July of 1964. They brought me into the world three years later. My father worked for NASA as a simulation and software engineer beginning with the Mercury Space program and he continued to support NASA into the Apollo Space program. Mom and Dad welcomed their second and final child, son, Brian, into the world in 1970. During my father’s career, as an engineer to the highest bidder, Dad accepted positions with Lockheed (LTV, Houston, TX), Boeing Commercial Corporation (Renton, WA), and completed his career with the Harris Corporation (Palm Bay, FL) in 1994. Dad lived a frugal life and was a keen investor. This allowed him to retire from the workforce at the young age of 54. In retirement, Dad lived a leisurely life playing golf, taking “power walks”, and keeping up with the home. The Mayhew family will mourn his loss but knows that he has gone to a place where there is no more suffering and he is free to watch (and try to manage) over all of us. His funeral service will be held on Sunday, August 13 at 12 p.m. at Ammen Family Cremation and Funeral Care, Palm Bay Chapel, 950 Malabar Road SE, Palm Bay, FL 32907. The immediate family will receive friends at the funeral home from 10 a.m. to noon prior to the service.

A second service, a Celebration of Life, will be held in September so that his Virginia Family can all attend and preclude long-distance travel.