Michael T. Mays Sr.

Published 4:48 pm Thursday, October 2, 2014

Services for Michael T. Mays Sr., 47, of Thomasville, are 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014, at Willow Head Missionary Baptist Church, 615 E. Calhoun St., Thomasville. The Rev. William C. Brinson is the pastor and the Rev. Hardy Clayton will officiate. Interment is in Peaceful Rest Cemetery. Pallbearers are members of the Jefferson County High School Class of 1984. A page turned, a chapter completed, a life well lived, and a rest well earned.  A loving, generous and unselfish life ended when Pastor Michael T. Mays Sr. departed this life to eternal rest on Sept. 26. God allowed his family to surround him with love and kisses as he was ushered into the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He will be greatly missed for inspiring his family, friends and others whose paths he crossed with the intense passion and love he had for God. Michael was born on Dec. 29, 1966, in Monticello, Fla., to Thomas Smith Jr. and the late Ruthie Mae Mays. He is the grandson to the late Johnny Sr. and Bernice Mays and the late Thomas Sr. and Hattie Smith. He graduated from Jefferson County High School 1984 and attended Brevard Community College and the University of Maryland where he graduated with his Bachelor of Business Administration. He had a successful and thriving career with the State of Florida where he retired and he was a dedicated worker for Johnson Institutional Services. At a very young age, Michael joined Salem African Methodist Episcopal Church. Later in his life, he became an active, faithful and devoted member of St. James Primitive Baptist Church. He was the pastor of Rosedale Missionary Baptist Church of Boston, Ga., until his health began to fail.  He was joined in holy matrimony on July 31, 1993 to Jeanette Lovejoy Mays.  Surviving his departure with cherished memories is his loving and caring wife, Jeanette Lovejoy Mays; three sons, Ra’Shawn Lovejoy (Lakeycia) of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Michael T. Mays, Jr. of Phenix City, Ala., Chris Mays of Monticello, Fla.; Five beautiful grandchildren, Ca’Miya Mays, Maliha Mays, Aaliyah Mays, Jordan Lovejoy, and Jaelah Lovejoy; two sisters, Tomeka Billingsley (Darryl), Tallahassee, Fla., Kim Jones, Clarkville, Tenn.; four brothers, Kory Smith and Cedric Smith, Tallahassee, Fla., Larry Smith, West Palm Beach, Fla., and Kolby Smith (Ashely), Louisville, Ky. He also leaves his loving mother-in-law, Mary L. Cochran, Thomasville, and sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Patricia De’Shazior-Hill, Lisa Lovejoy, Thomasville; Vickie Lovejoy and Rosiland Michele Hale (Greg), Jacksonville, Fla., Veronica Wilson, Miramar, Fla., Stanley L. Lovejoy and Terrell Cochran, Thomasville. He also leaves to cherish his memories a host of caring aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, relatives, church family and friends. The viewing is from noon to 8 p.m., today at the funeral home. The family will receive friends after the service at The Meeting Place, 222 Gordon Ave., Thomasville. — Hopkins Mortuary