Pauline Marilyn Mayo

Pauline Marilyn Mayo – 89 passed away on Friday, December 15th in Merced, CA.

Pauline was born at home in Le Grand, California on August 16, 1934, to parents Oscar Reed Jones and Della Jessie Jackson Jones. She was the youngest of four children. Pauline had an idyllic childhood in Le Grand, although the family experienced hard times after her father’s passing in 1944.

Pauline met her future husband Elbert Mayo in the spring of 1952, and they were married at the United Methodist Church in Le Grand that following November. They lived on the Mayo Dairy in Le Grand, where they welcomed the birth of their first child, Paula Joanne, born in December of 1953, followed by Ellen Ruth 11 months later, completing their family of four.

In 1977, Pauline moved into what would be her dream home in Merced, where she immersed herself in caring for her beautiful yard. She was also active in Merced’s Christian Women’s Club and served as a group leader in Connie Hadley’s “Woman to Woman” Bible study at Merced’s Central Presbyterian Church for many years. 

In 1984, Pauline discovered some of her maternal grandmother’s 1930’s unfinished quilt tops in a trunk stored at her uncle’s home. This discovery inspired her love of quilting and led to 38 years of making beautiful quilts for her home, her family and for the Gateway Quilters Guilds “Quilters Embrace” charity.

Pauline is survived by her children, Paula (Michael) Gleason and Ellen (John) Price both of Merced; grandchildren Derek (Sarah) Price of Merced, Byron (Stephanie) Price of Atwater, Andrew Price of Redlands, Erica Gleason of Indianapolis, Sean Gleason of Portland; and six great grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by her husband Elbert Mayo in 1997. She was also preceded in death by both her parents and all three of her siblings.

Her family would like to thank Lindsay Lamerson and caregivers at Northwood Retirement Home, as well as Bristol Hospice for their excellent care during Pauline’s last months.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00am on Thursday, December 21, 2023, at the Central Presbyterian Church ~ 1920 Canal St. Merced, CA. A private graveside service will be held at Plainsburg Cemetery in Le Grand.

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