Herrington Land of Memory Funeral Home
Larry S. Mayo, loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, philosopher, inventor, fisherman, self-described wannabe rancher, chef, teller of tales, Dew Boy, and best friend, passed away on June 10th at his favorite place, Dream Creek Ranch in Anderson County. He leaves behind a legacy of love for his family and the community newspaper business and a lasting mark on everyone he knew. Larry will be deeply missed by his family, friends, beloved pets, and all who honor speaking the truth.
Born on October 23, 1942, in Brady, Texas, Larry was the eldest son of John and Marvis Lee Mayo. He lived his entire life in the great State of Texas, except for two years while he served the U.S. Army in Vietnam. Larry supervised some 250 correspondents and photographers and was editor of the KYSU magazine at Long Binh. It was there that he earned The Bronze Star Medal and The Army Commendation Medal. Larry graduated from Sherman High School in 1961 where he first met his wife of 33 years, Nancy Elizabeth Bell. Larry attended the University of Texas at Austin and studied journalism, working his way through college. While a student in the summer of 1966, he took photos of the Whitman tower shooting on campus and sold them to the Associated Press and several European news publications to fund his last year of college. However, in 1968, Larry left for his tour in Vietnam, just 3 hours short of earning his degree. In July 2022 at the age of 79, Larry was proud to officially complete his BA in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin.
As a career journalist, Larry dedicated over 40 years to the Texas daily newspaper industry. His passion for journalism and commitment to his craft led him to become the Editor and Publisher of the Palestine Herald Press, where he became known by colleagues and friends as a sharp-witted arbiter of political and lifetime humor and debate. Larry's contributions to his profession were widely recognized, and he was highly respected as a great newspaperman. It was said that newspapering was surely his love and compassion was truly his style.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Larry had a deep appreciation for the great outdoors. He cherished the family farm in Anderson County which he and Nancy fondly named Dream Creek Ranch. It was there that he was an avid fisherman and could pretend to be a rancher. Larry's love for entertaining and cooking was renowned among his family and friends, and he took great pleasure in preparing meals and hosting gatherings which included fireworks on holidays. His culinary skills were matched only by his quick wit and sense of humor. He had a particular talent for telling Aggie jokes, including to Aggies he respected and admired. While some jokes weren't appreciated, according to Larry this was due to their underdeveloped sense of humor.
Larry is survived by his loving wife and high school sweetheart Nancy; brothers Jim Mayo and Tony Mayo and wife Brenda; sons Greg Mayo and wife Pam, Jason Mayo and husband John Lewis, and Chris Cooper; daughters Elizabeth Cooper and Susannah Cooper; grandchildren Jonathan Mayo and wife Whitney, Adam Mayo, Kate Cooper and husband Victor Sands, William Cooper, Charlotte Cooper, Gabrielle Colliot and Ainslie McKnight; and great-granddaughter Vivien Elise Mayo. Larry loved his family and friends and made sure they knew it.
A celebration of life to honor Larry will be held on June 30th at 2:00pm in The Chapel at Eagle's Bluff in Bullard, Texas. Honorary pallbearers are Cliff Johnson, Elton Bomer, Joe Crutcher, David Valdez, Gaddy Wells, and Harris Lohmeyer. Friends and family are invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, please honor Larry with a contribution to the charity of your choice.
"He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again." (Hamlet, Act I)
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Tyler Morning Telegraph
http://www.tylerpaper.com
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