Barbourville, Ky. – Tommy Ray Mays, 70, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 16th, 2022. Tommy was born on February 20th, 1952, in Pineville, Bell County, KY to Elmer Mays and Nannie Ruth Hill Mays.
Tommy lived most of his life in Barbourville, KY. Deployed to Anchorage, Alaska, Tommy was drafted to serve his country in the U.S. Army as a young adult. After returning from deployment, Tommy worked tirelessly as a self-employed truck driver. He worked hard to provide his family with the best life possible. Tommy was a multi-talented man— a guitar player, storyteller, and master of jokes. It would only take a short conversation with Tommy to put a smile on your face.
In his spare time, he enjoyed being outside, fishing, feeding wildlife, and working in his vegetable and flower gardens. Tommy was of the Baptist faith and attended the Davis Bend Missionary Baptist Church. Before his passing, some of his last words of advice to his family were to “love each other—that’s what it’s all about.” He always knew how to make people feel comforted. He was a kind man, and his stories will be missed greatly by all who were lucky enough to have him in their lives.
In addition to his parents, Elmer Mays and Nannie Ruth Hill Mays, Tommy was preceded in death by his beloved wife Reba Patterson Mays, sister Flora Anita Mays, brothers Leroy Mays, Frank Mays, and Benny Mays, sister-in-law Nancy Mays and brothers-in-law Hubert Kelley, Sherman North, William “Bill” Cameron, and Marshall Peace.
Left behind to mourn his passing are daughter Cindy Renee Mays and Son Tommy Ray Mays, Jr. (Carmen Elaine); sisters Sonia (Mays) Kelley, Virginia (Mays) Powell, Ruby (Mays) North, Judy (Mays) Cameron, and Shirley (Mays) Peace; brother Freddie Mays; sisters-in-law Joyce (Peace) Mays, Debbie (Carroll) Mays, and Saundra (Brooks) Mays and brother-in-law Grover Wallace Powell. Mourning also includes five grandchildren: Ashley Driggers, Amanda Alsbrooks, Jared Cordell, Courtney Swafford, and Terry Mays and three great-grandchildren: Zoe Centers, Bentley Roberts, and Zakkary Hoskins.
The Mays family will receive friends and family at Hopper Funeral Home on Sunday, August 21st, 2022, from 12:00 PM until the funeral hour of 3:00 PM. Reverends Dustin Reed and Mike Kelly, Jr. will officiate the funeral. Interment will follow the funeral service at Hendrickson Cemetery in Davis Bend, KY. Casket bearers are Terry Mays, Cody Swafford, Jacob Scalf, Tommy Scalf, Justin Mays, and Alex Mays with honorary casket bearers Wendell Bond and Bill Patterson.
The Hopper family, Victoria Hopper and Sally Hopper, and the staff of Hopper Funeral Home express sincere condolences to the friends and family of Tommy Ray Mays.
Hopper Funeral Home, Inc., established over 100 years ago, is in charge of servicing all arrangements for Tommy Ray Mays.
