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Submitted: 1/17/21 • Approved: 1/21/21 • Last Updated: 1/24/21 • R1360601-G1360599-S3
Vina
Dec 16, 1936 - Oct 13, 2017
Johnnie Carey "J C"
Apr 24, 1935 - Jan 1, 2021
Married June 2, 1956
Johnnie C. “J.C.” Mayall, of Stuttgart, went to his eternal home on January 1, 2021. He was 85 years young.
His daughters and grands called him Daddy and PawPaw. He was born April 24, 1935, on Lost Corner Road (between Center Ridge and Cleveland, Arkansas). He was the only child born to William Oscar Mayall and Zula Andrews Mayall Tomlinson. His family moved to Clinton, Arkansas, when he was in the third grade. In Jr. High school, although he weighed 98 pounds, he played football and basketball. Traveling to the ballgames was the first time he had been out of Van Buren or Conway counties. During high school he was manager of the football and basketball teams. In 1953, his senior year, the Clinton High School basketball team won the Arkansas State Championship by defeating teams from across the state, before classifications were established.
The day after high school graduation he rode a bus to Kansas City where he worked at Trans World Airlines. After working a year and a half at TWA, he moved to Mapleton, Oregon, to work in the logging business where he would install explosives to correct logging problems. Wanting to learn employable skills, he then enlisted in the Air Force. After basic training he married his high school sweetheart, Vina Treat, and they started their new life together in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he attended communications training. His service in the Air Force included communication duties at the Pentagon and as a cryptographic operator in Tainan, Taiwan (Formosa). It was during his four years of military service two daughters, Terry and Connie, were born. Due to his military security clearance, he obtained a job with The Martin Company, which later became Martin Marietta, working within the missile silos across Arkansas.
In 1964, at the age of 28, he attended Arkansas Teachers College (UCA) and graduated in three years with a degree in Business Administration. He began working at Riceland Foods and moved his family from North Little Rock to Stuttgart. After working at Riceland for over 25 years he chose to retire at the age of 57.
He was active in the Stuttgart Jaycees and received a lifetime membership in 1984. In 1969, he started a girls’ softball team which sparked interest in the game and began the formation of the girl’s, men’s, women’s, church, and co-ed softball leagues over the years. He was coach, umpire, league director, field maintenance, and tournament director for over 25 years for the Stuttgart Softball League. He played, coached, and refereed in the men’s basketball league, and he enjoyed over 20 years of refereeing youth sports. In 2014, the Stuttgart Parks’ Commission honored his service to the softball program by naming field 2 the “J.C. Mayall Field” and was also nominated for the Arkansas Softball Hall of Fame.
J.C. had a large personality and enjoyed the camaraderie of his friends. He would say or do nearly anything to make others laugh and see their reactions which brought out the best J.C., Daddy, and PawPaw stories. Although he outlived most of his closest friends, he took great pleasure telling stories of the great times they had together. He and his wife, Vi, loved to dance and could be seen dancing the jitterbug at the monthly dances held by the Victory Dance Club. In October of 2019, he purchased a turquoise 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air and while driving it he felt youthful and carefree. It caught the eye of everyone he passed and he took great pleasure in the comments and admiration of his Chevy.
His greatest love, pride, and joy was his family. He deeply loved his two daughters, and he had a profound devotion to his three grandchildren but spending time with his four great-grandchildren was his purpose for living.
He recently accepted Jesus Christ into his life as his savior and professed a desire to spend eternity with in heaven. His only regret was that he did not accept Christ earlier in his life.
Beside his parents, his wife of 60 years, Vina Treat Mayall, preceded him in death in 2017.
He is survived by daughters Terry Simpson (David) and Connie Hudson (Gary) of Stuttgart; grandchildren, Cara Coleman (Brad) of Mt. Home, Drew Jacobs (Lauren) of Stuttgart, and Patrick Hudson of Fayetteville; great-grandchildren, Whitten Coleman, Ford Coleman, Mason Jacobs, and “his name sake” Jacie Jacobs; an extra special cousin, who was more like a sister, Billie Jean Meeler of Morrilton; and a long-time friend, who was more like a brother, Wayne and his wife Claudia Hammil of Henning, Tennessee.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Carla Anderson, Dr. Chris Morgan, Baptist Home Health, and Baptist Hospice for their care and compassion for our dad.
A private memorial service will be held at the J.C. Mayall softball field at the Reinsch Complex in Stuttgart and a graveside service will be Sunday, January 10, at 2:00 p.m. at the Clinton Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to First Christian Church (P.O. Box 1314, Stuttgart, AR 72160) or to Stuttgart Parks and Recreation (c/o City of Stuttgart, 304 S. Maple, Stuttgart, AR 72160).
Please go to www.turpin-co.com to sign the online guestbook.
Photo courtesy of Annette Shaw
Contributed on 1/17/21 by hawkinsdonna48
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Record #: 1360601
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