Emory Lawson Mayfield Sr.

Emory Lawson Mayfield, Sr. passed away peacefully at home on June 5, 2023 surrounded by his family after complications from a series of infections and pneumonia.
Emory was born in Grady County, Georgia on September 12, 1944 to Marjorie and Judson Mayfield and spent his childhood between Cairo and the family farm in Calvary. He worked alongside his father farming tobacco throughout his teens and twenties, always remaining a Georgia boy at heart.
Emory found his true calling in business after moving to Tallahassee in 1978 to start his own road construction company, M of Tallahassee, Inc., which he would tirelessly grow and expand for decades together with his wife Cathy, his nephew William Mayfield and his son Henry. Emory took immense pride in projects and jobs that modernized Tallahassee's roadways and helped build a more navigable city while always retaining its southern beauty. His professional legacy will continue on in the streets, roads and highways Tallahassee drivers use every day and in M, Inc.'s employees and crews he had the honor of working with.
Emory's first priority was to surround himself with family, friends and laughter. He and Cathy bought a beach house on Alligator Point in the 1980s, which became the family's weekend getaway. Emory's Saturdays were deep sea fishing days, beginning at sunrise on his boat filled with friends. The day ended with fresh grilled grouper and even more friends gathering at sunset, usually to watch FSU football. When not at Alligator Point, his four kids kept him busy traveling to hundreds of baseball games and horseshows. Always ready to jump on a plane or boat, Emory filled family vacations to the Bahamas and Costa Rica with laughs and nonstop adventure.
In 2009, Emory's heart was broken when his daughter Lawson lost her life to bacterial meningitis. He and Cathy poured their energy into honoring her and building awareness around meningitis prevention. In the years that followed he gave his laughter and love to his seven grandchildren and became their "Big E," the grandfather who tickled, loved to go out to dinner, and always put a little "walking-around-money" in their pockets. Whether on a boat ride at Alligator Point, or on a tractor ride at Buck Lake Road, he loved having a kid on his lap. Until his last day, he kept everyone laughing with his antics and charm.
Emory is survived by his wife, Cathy, his daughter Jenny Mayfield Blackstone (Brian Blackstone, grandson Grady and granddaughter Compton) his son Emory Mayfield, Jr. (wife Autumn Barnes Mayfield, granddaughters Emerson, Hadley and Windsor), his son Henry Mayfield (wife Brittney Raehn Mayfield, granddaughter Regan and grandson Marshall), his sister Marjorie Taylor of Thomasville and in-laws, Fred, Doug, Dwight Dickinson and their families. He is preceded in death by his daughter Lawson, his brothers Jud and Lee Mayfield and his parents Marjorie and Judson Mayfield. He leaves countless friends, cousins, nieces, nephews and colleagues, all of whom he adored.
The family would very much appreciate that no flowers be sent, but instead donations made to the Everhart Excellence Foundation http://www.everhartexcellencefoundation.org in special honor of Emory and his grandson Marshall Mayfield.
Services will be held on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at 2:00pm at Faith Presbyterian of Tallahassee. The Mayfields invite all family and friends to join them at their home for a reception following the service, 377 High Hill Ranch Lane Tallahassee, FL 32317.
Rocky Bevis of Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com) is assisting the family with their arrangements.