John C. Mays, 91, of North Sioux City, South Dakota, passed away Thursday, April 17, 2025. Services will be held Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church with a lunch reception to follow. Burial will be along with his wife JoAnn in West Fork Township Cemetery in Climbing Hill, IA. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Waterbury Funeral Service.

John lived a life of service. Serving his family who grew up on a farm, contributing to his church and community of Mossy Gap, Kentucky. Then, in his service to his country, he was fond of the great adventure the Air Force offered to a young man from the Cumberland Gap of Appalachia and the stability the postal service offered throughout his life.

John was born at home in Williamsburg, KY to John and Florence (McCreary) Mays. He was the 6th in a family of 11 children. All the children were born at home. They served their church in many ways, hosting the Sunday dinner with the Pastor every Sunday following worship. Growing up they had no family car but got a ride from the Pastor when needed, otherwise you lived near family and walked where you needed to go.

John helped his father farm & build homes, including their own in Williamsburg where his sister Margorie (Marge) still lives.  They built the Mossy Gap Baptist church which is still in use today. His father farmed and hauled lumber using a wagon & mule team. They sold smoked pork and had fruit orchards, farmed tobacco, and maintained a large garden. His Uncle owned a sawmill. They harvested timber and mined coal from their land. He knew what it meant to work but was grateful always.

As a teenager, John worked at a family country store for his aunt and uncle. He played high school basketball, helped his Uncle Joe drive a truck and of course work the farm. John is the descendant of both Revolutionary War Soldiers and Union Army Soldiers from the Civil War and lost his Uncle Chester in WWII.  His father’s family came to Virginia in the 1600’s and over time, migrated south. His mother’s family immigrated from Scotland in the 1800’s.

John joined the Air Force in 1952 with Bob Mills, his best friend growing up. He was stationed in Blaine, WA. and was stationed in Japan waiting for deployment in Korea. On a ship to Korea, the war ended. Later, John’s service brought him to Sioux City, where he met Helen Willits who worked on the base.

John married Helen Willits in 1957. Together they had three children: Barbara, Audrey & David. Helen passed away in 1968 at the age of 29 from cancer.  John and the children had the unwavering support of Helen’s mom & family, Grandma Iris & Charlie, Aunt Leola & Uncle Jim, Uncle Steve, cousins: Terry, Chris & Jimmy and many friends, family and neighbors of both Helen and John. As a young single father raising three children, he served them well and gave them family roots by visiting his boyhood home and his family and doing his best to serve as an example.

John loved to visit Helen’s dad, Tom Willits who lived near the Mississippi River in Aledo, Ill. Grandpa Tom was a WWII Marine who everyone loved.  There are great memories of John enjoying himself there and laughing; even as children we knew he deserved to have fun & relax.  It was so good to see this side of our father. As kids, we thought it was funny Dad got his southern accent back pretty quickly as we usually vacationed in Kentucky for weeks at a time.

John married JoAnn Connolly in 1978, this brought children: David, Teresa and Kathleen into the family. There were many good times together camping and river outings at Minors bend.

He retired at 55 from a career with the U.S. Postal service. John & JoAnn began going south for the winter and enjoyed being ‘winter Texans’ with good friends – There John helped families in need by picking produce from fields and donating clothing along the border. He had real empathy for those in need. John was generous with others, he was fair. As a child his mother told him he should be a lawyer when he grows up because he was so fair and honest. He took care of people and the things around him. He always kept a nice garden and lawn; he enjoyed growing and canning vegetables and liked a good ‘pickled beet’ all his life.

He enjoyed being stationed in the state of Washington near the Canadian border, when he was shipped off to Japan, he learned how to deal with sea sickness. He recalled his first sight at the harbor of Japan and his impressions of how differently they were dressed. He never forgot and was so thankful an Officer who recognized him on base offered to fly him back to the U.S. instead of going by ship. Right up to his final days he would recount events and details of his days in the service.

John loved to attend auctions & was a lifetime coin collector. Together with JoAnn, they had small collections that they enjoyed very much.  JoAnn passed in July of 2022 after 43 years of marriage.

John lived at home, independently, on his own terms, still driving. He was in good health for his age and passed peacefully in his sleep after a nice dinner and a winning night at the casino with his daughter Teresa.  John earned the love and grace of his family; he served them all so faithfully.

Those left to honor his memory include his children: Barbara Connolly, David Connolly, Audrey Wright (Derald), David Mays (Ann), Teresa Gill, and Kathleen Verdoorn (Frank); sisters: Gracie Mays and Margorie Haire; grandchildren: Jake, Joe and Ben Verdoorn, Tony Connolly & Catie Connolly-Peck, Hilary Mays-Reynolds & Lauren Mays-Wilcoxon, and Johnathan Wright, Stephanie Wright-Rice; great-grandchildren: Dallas Davis-Verdoorn, Alexa, Genevieve, Franklin, Luka & Mika Verdoorn, Liam & Ember Connolly, Logan, Landon, Lincoln & Emersyn Wright, Colton Rice, Ellianna & Madeline Reynolds, and Tate, Sophie & Teagan Wilcoxon; and great-great grandchildren: Mabel & Mathias Wright.

He is preceded in death by his parents; wives: Helen and JoAnn; sisters: Doris “Ruby” Earls and Dorothy Mays; brothers: Arnold, Charles, Howard, Herbert, Ray & Franklin.

Thank you everyone who helped John, Vivian from Visiting Angels, Dakota Parrot Rescue, Friends & Neighbors of N. Sioux City, SD.