Rem Mayes

(From Martin Funeral Home)

Roy "Rem" Edward Mayes, Jr., age 87, of Stuart, Florida has flown West. He passed away peacefully on Monday, February 7th, 2022, in his home, surrounded by his family, under the tender loving care of Treasure Coast Hospice. 

Rem was born in Carthage, Missouri on May 4th, 1934 to Roy Edward Mayes Sr. and Ernestine Grace Mayes. Rem was a visionary who always downplayed his role. 

From childhood, Rem had an uncanny ability to mix comic mischievousness with vision, leadership, and compassion. As a tremendous business and civic leader, philanthropist and friend to many, Rem's exceptional wit and humor would melt the ice of difficult situations, create levity, and bring people together. His practical jokes and impish smile are legendary; his vision and ability to unite people changed the world. 

Another theme that would follow him through life was his love of flying. From a very early age he dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot. He joined the ROTC in high school with hopes of joining the Air Force ROTC in college. 

Although his dream of flying fighter jets was curtailed when his Air Force ROTC medical was denied due to the damages caused by a childhood battle with lung disease, his passion for flight was never diminished and became a fundamental component of his life. 

After earning his Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of Kansas, Pittsburg in 1956, he was hired by Boeing Aerospace. His time with Boeing was short lived as his draft number was drawn in 1957. 

Although his job with Boeing was deemed critical to the military, he felt compelled to serve his country and joined the United States Army Corps of Engineers in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri where he served for two years, followed by ten years as a reserve officer obtaining the rank of captain. 

While serving in the army, Rem earned his pilot's license flying an L-19 Birddog, paving the way for a long relationship with flying. 

Following his service in the Army, he returned to Carthage, Missouri to work at the Carthage Marble Corporation which his father had helped grow into one of the largest marble quarries and fabricators in the world. 

Throughout his childhood he had known the employees of Carthage Marble as his extended family. When he joined the company himself, he valued that relationship above all else. He knew them personally, celebrated their ups and downs, and was there for them in times of need. He brought them into his home and they became the extended family of his wife and children. 

In the early 1970's, the Marshall Plan proposed international trade tariff changes that threatened to cripple the marble industry. Rem was sent to Washington, DC for the next year to represent the industry consortium The Marble Institute of America to wage a lobbying campaign in hopes of saving the industry. He was ultimately unsuccessful in persuading Washington to take a different course and returned home knowing the future of the marble industry was limited. He decided the best course for Carthage Marble was to exit the marble business and convert the quarry caves, ninety feet underground, into an underground warehouse. 

The new company, named Carmar, Inc., grew to become the fifth largest cold-storage company in the world at the time. While his vision and foresight created an industry giant that employed hundreds of people in multiple states, he would always give the credit of this success to the employees who made it happen. 

During this time, Rem also served the community and many other companies through his leadership on boards, community groups, and clubs. He was a Director of Empire District Electric Company, the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses, the United Missouri Bankshares Holding Company, the United Missouri Bank of Carthage, the U.S. Small business Administration, the K.C. Missouri Regional Advisory Council, the Task Force for International Trade State of Missouri for various Governors, the Missouri State Chamber of Commerce, and the Carthage Missouri Chamber of Commerce. He served several terms as President of the Carthage School District. He was Senior Warden of the Carthage Grace Episcopal Church Vestry, Chairman of the Mo-Kan Area Boy Scout Council, and was a Rotary Club member. 

Following the loss of his wife, Dianne Mayes, in 1995, Rem decided to exit the business and begin the next phase of his life. He moved to Stuart, Florida in 1997. The sale of the business allowed him more time and means to focus on helping others and serving the community. 

Rem and Dianne had always supported their local community college, Missouri Southern State University, so when the opportunity arose he named the new Dianne Mayes Student Life Center in honor of his wife. Hospice had been instrumental in helping with the transition of his wife and in recognition of this, in 1999 he built the Mayes Center for Hope at Treasure Coast Hospice dedicated to Dianne Mayes and he joined the Treasure Coast Hospice board and dedicated himself to helping grow their reach. In 2007 he was made Chairman Emeritus of the Foundation Board. He was always significantly involved, going far beyond his role as a board member. 

When a crisis occurred, Rem would be there to help in any way he could. He would show up during hurricanes to make sure everyone had what they needed and were safe to shelter there. He was known as one of the most attending board members. 

He and his wife Cheryl Mayes started the Treasure Coast Hospice golf tournament at Sailfish Point which is their largest fundraiser. The Rem Society for Men, a men's giving society for Treasure Coast Hospice, was recently named after him. Many of Rem's acts of kindness will never be known to us. He helped countless people through difficult times. He was a friend and a mentor to many. His door was always open to anyone and he considered everyone his equal. 

In addition to his passion for aviation, Rem was a passionate and avid boater, fisherman, golfer, hunter, and photographer. His biggest passion in life though, and his greatest strength, was to make people laugh and feel loved. 

Rem is survived by his wife Cheryl Mayes; his two sons Rick (Betsy) Mayes of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina; John (Stacey) Mayes of Austin, Texas, his grandchildren Ashley Banner, Carter Mayes, Elizabeth "Carson" Mayes, Anne "Madison" Mayes, Margot Mayes, and John "Jack" Mayes; his great grandson Roman Banner; his sister Mary (Ron) Spradley of Kansas City, Missouri and his cousin Robert "Bob" (Lori) Mayes of Stuart, Florida. 

He was preceded in death by his wife Dianne Stafford Mayes, his parents Roy Edward Mayes, Sr. and Ernestine Grace Mayes (Lukens). 

A Eucharistic service celebrating Rem's life will be held on Friday February 18th at 11:00 AM EST at St. Mary's Episcopal Church at 623 SE Ocean Blvd., Stuart, Florida 34994. The service will be broadcast live on the internet at www.stmarys-stuart.org. The direct link to the broadcast is https://boxcast.tv/view/roy-rem-mayes-funeral-fhncqyxzhw1nocq2wfzp 

Following the service, from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM, a reception in his honor will be held at Sailfish Point Country Club. Memorial donations in memory of Roy "Rem" Mayes can be made to Treasure Coast Hospice, 1201 SE Indian Street, Stuart, FL 34997. 

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Martin Funeral Home & Crematory, Stuart Chapel. Online condolences and expressions of sympathy can be made by visiting www.Martin-Funeral.com.