Mr. Walter Lee Mayes

Mr. Walter Lee Mayes, formerly of Lee County, Georgia, died Saturday, July 25, 2026, at Manhattan Community Care Center in Jackson, Mississippi.

The funeral service will be held Saturday, August 8, 2026, at 1:00 PM in the chapel of the J. W. Williams Funeral Home in Cordele, Georgia. The burial will follow at the Piney Grove #3 Church Cemetery in Lee County, Georgia.

Mr. Walter L. Mayes of Jackson, Mississippi, made his transition on Saturday, July 25, 2026.

On April 10, 1945, God presented Walter, the first son, to the late Elijah Mays, Sr. and the late Lillie Fields-Mays. He was preceded in death by his wife of thirty-three years, Dorothy Mayes; his siblings, Laura Mays, Mary Preston (oldest sister), and Elijah Mays, Jr. (baby brother); and his son, Tyrone Butler.

"Slick" was an avid hunter who befriended people throughout Mississippi who shared his passion for raccoon hunting. Long before virtual learning became common, Bud and Uncle Slick were already putting it to practice: when Bud went hunting, Uncle Slick joined him by phone, sometimes staying on until 4:00 a.m. During the day, he advised Bud and Fred where to move to find deer, and at night, he directed Marvin and Jermaine where to release the dogs to track raccoons. Walter was truly his own person, and he and his brothers learned from their father how to master a wrench.

The train stopped at his bedside and the conductor called: "Walter Lee Mayes, it is your appointed time. Welcome aboard, servant; well done."

Leaving cherished memories to his son and grand-son, Walter D. Mayes and Lennox Isaac Deron Mayes, that POP affectionately called “Lil Walter,” of Jackson, Mississippi, his daughters, Shani Winder of Jackson, Mississippi, Leila (Roy) Horton (2)Sommerville, Tennessee, Vera Horton (10) and Rhonda (Marcel) Livers (3) both Muskegon, Michigan; his brothers, Frank (Gloria) Mays and Frederick (Nicole) Mays both of Leesburg, Georgia; his sisters Ann (George) Miller of Palmetto, Georgia, Geneva Mays of Tyrone, Georgia, Desarie Mays of Smithville, Georgia, Arlene McClary of Ideal, Georgia and Pam Lawrence of Fayetteville, Georgia; his aunts, Charlotte Sapp of Leesburg, Georgia and Janie Williams of St. Petersburg, Florida; five brothers-in-law Warren (Rostella) Winder, Lewis (Evelyn) Winder, Sammy (Filista) Winder all of Ridgeland, Mississippi, Wilmer Winder of Jackson, Mississippi, John (Faith) Winder of Euless, Texas; three sisters-in-law, Afferteen (James) Taylor, Billie Thomas both Jackson, Mississippi and Diane (Vincent) Lewis of Denver, Colorado; a devoted caregiver, Carolyn Collins of Jackson, Mississippi; aunt/friend, Brenda Cheeks-Mays; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and many sorrowing friends, including his special long time friend, Willie Christmas and his friend Bennie Rouser.