Obituary of Joan Lee Mays

Joan Lee Teel Mays, age 92, passed away on September 23, 2024, at her home in San Antonio, Texas.

Joan is survived by three sons: John Mays and wife Neda, of San Antonio, Texas; Jim Mays and wife Karen, of McKinney, Texas; and Jeffrey Mays and wife Trina, of Austin, Texas; nine grandchildren: Emily Cook and husband Joel, Austin Mays, Rebekah Mays and husband Andreas Bezuijen, Melissa Barker and husband Alex, Natalie Mays, Zachary Mays and wife Lily, Hannah Kate Self and husband Will, Nathan Mays and wife Dulce, and Joel Mays; seven great grandchildren: Theodore Cook, Eliza Cook, Lewis Cook, Addison Barker, Charlie Self, Hudson Barker, and Alden Cook; one brother, Raymond (Butch) Teel and wife Sarah of Claremore, Oklahoma; and many nephews and nieces living in Texas and Louisiana.

Joan was born May 24, 1932, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she resided until 1966. After her graduation from Will Rogers High School in 1950, she married Granvel J. Mays, also of Tulsa. They were married 57 years when Granvel passed away after a lengthy illness. In 1966 the family moved to Memphis, followed by moves to four other U.S. cities and one to Australia. Following Granvel’s retirement in 1992, the couple moved back to Oklahoma and lived on Keystone Lake. In 2003, they moved back to Tulsa into the long-time Teel home on East 12th place. In 2010, as a widow, Joan moved to Austin to enable her sons to assist her in her final years.

At the time of their passing, Joan and Granvel were members of Christ Presbyterian Church in Tulsa. Through the years of moving city to city, Joan was active in the work of her church and other volunteer organizations, while furthering her education by participating in Bible Study Fellowship and attending community colleges. She worked part-time as an executive secretary, and said her favorite job was her last—working as a chair-side assistant for a dentist in Humble, Texas.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Ninde Funeral & Cremation. The funeral will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery Chapel at 2:00 p.m., October 7, 2024, Reverend Laraine Waughtal officiating. Visitation will be held 10:00 am to noon the same day.

The pallbearers will be Joan’s four grandsons, Austin Mays, Zachary Mays, Nathan Mays, and Joel Mays; and her great nephews Bradley Teel and Micah Teel.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Arbor Day Foundation, Prison Fellowship, Bible Study Fellowship, or the Humane Society.

Ninde Funeral | Mosaic Memorial Cremation (918) 742-5556 | ninde.com