Vina Evelyn Fentress Mayo, age 97, passed away peacefully in her home on April 25, 2025, in Joelton, TN.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of almost 68 years, Earl Lee Mayo, her parents, James Emmett and Mai Belle Perry Fentress, and brother Malcolm Fentress.
She is survived by sons Rick (Donna) Mayo and Randy (Elizabeth) Mayo, grandsons Bracken (Sarah) Mayo, Nathan (Felicia) Mayo, Tony (Brittany) Mayo and Jackson Mayo (Kaedi Robbins) and granddaughters Megan (Joe) Green, Carrie (Chris) Reeves and Emily (Wesley) Ross, step-grandchildren William Barry and Kathryn Barry ,and great-grandchildren Bracken Jr., Hayden, Hudson, Easton, Lucy, Warren, Phoebe, Ryman, and Beckett. Mrs. Eveyln also wanted to mention her special friends, Jean Dodd and Barbara Barrett, whom she loved like sisters.
Evelyn Mayo loved the Lord, His Word, His people, and her church, Mt. Zion Free Will Baptist Church. She faithfully attended there all her life until her health no longer allowed it. As she grew feeble, one of her biggest heartaches was that she was no longer able to go to church. “If I could go just one more time.” A devoted Sunday School teacher, pianist and organist, Mrs. Evelyn loved gospel music and sang with the Mt. Zion Quartet for decades. She read her Bible twice a day like clockwork and prayed constantly, especially for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Many words describe Mrs. Evelyn – godly, caring, generous, hospitable, hard-working, independent, strong-willed, opinionated, funny, and feisty for starters. She was a force. A word never used, however, of Mrs. Evelyn, was “lazy,” In fact, one would be hard-pressed to say she was ever “still.” She had the most immaculately manicured lawn and cleanest, tidiest house of anyone you’ll ever meet.
One of the hardest things for her to accept in her declining days was that she could no longer “work.” If you knew her, you knew she was always in motion, whether mowing, gardening, cooking, cleaning, painting, or sewing, she was always busy. When he was still healthy, Earl and Evelyn stayed on the go and were regular visitors at hospitals and funeral homes. A fabulous cook, it was Mrs. Evelyn’s delight to feed people. No doubt, she has made thousands of cakes and pies to take to people who were suffering in some way, and her family and friends benefitted from huge, delicious, southern cooked meals on a regular basis – two meats, ten or more sides and three desserts were common fare. She loved a gathering, as well as coffee and candy.
No one has ever been more ready to go “home.” Don’t shed a tear for me,” Mrs. Evelyn said more than once. “I want to go.” One of the final messages that she wanted to leave with others was, “Tell everybody how much I love them and thank Jesus for saving me.” Her last words were, “Take me home.”
The family acknowledges with deep gratitude Brenda Craig, Suzanne Hall, Beverly Hunter, Barbara Nunnally, Dorothy Perry, and Gail Perry for their patience, compassion and the loving care they provided during Mrs. Evelyn’s last days. Special thanks also to Amedysis Home Health for their kindness, faithful support and service.
Visitation with the family will be at Anderson & Garrett Funeral Home in Joelton, TN, on Tuesday, April 29, from 5:00 until 8:00 PM and again on Wednesday, April 30, at Mt. Zion Free Will Baptist Church from 12:00 until 2:00. The service at Mt. Zion will begin at 2:00 PM with Rev. Jason Bell and Rev. Jackson Watts officiating. Interment will follow at the church’s cemetery.
Serving as pallbearers are Bracken Mayo, Nathan Mayo, Tony Mayo, Jackson Mayo, Joe Green, Chris Reeves and Wesley Ross.
If desired, in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Mt. Zion Free Will Baptist Church, 2025 Blue Springs Rd., Ashland City, TN 37015.
Arrangements by Anderson & Garrett Funeral Home, 3501 Old Clarksville Pike, Joelton, TN 37080. https://www.andersonandgarrett.com
Onsite florist 615-448-7611
For more obituaries visit https://davidsoncountysource.com/obituaries/
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