Bobby Ray Mayfield was born on December 28, 1947 to Agnes Fortner Mayfield in Hulbert, Oklahoma and was called home on Sunday July 15, 2018 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was surrounded by his adoring family and left this earthly world knowing he was so loved.
Bobby grew up in the Hulbert area and graduated from Hulbert High School in 1966. He played football and basketball and formed many lifelong friendships, remaining close with many of his high school classmates. After graduation Bobby joined the United States Marines where he served his country from 1966 to 1968. It was when he returned from the Marines and attended a high school football game that he saw Dianna in her drill uniform and go-go boots. The next night they had a date and were inseparable from then on. Bobby and Dianna Gritts were married in 1969 at Shady Grove Baptist Church and were married for one month shy of 49 years, they raised each other!
Bobby and Dianna's marriage was blessed with two beautiful children, Billy and Jennifer. He traveled the country to football games, basketball games, baseball games and the occasional beauty pageant, always working hard to provide them the best life he could. These two were adored by Bobby but when his grandchildren entered the picture, he took it to the next level. They were the absolute lights of his life. There wasn't anything Poppa wouldn't do for them, even if it went against the wishes of their parents. Spoiling them with all he had, became his new passion in life.
Bobby was an ironworker by trade and his ironworker family was very special to him. He was known for his good hearted nature, always joking and teasing. He was fun, he was ornery and he was game. Work, play or all business, he was there. Always in the middle of things laughing, he loved to stir up a good argument and then innocently leave the scene. Together they owned and operated several businesses in the Hulbert area and worked side by side for over thirty years.
Bobby was very active in his community and was a past member of the Shady Grove School Board and the Cherokee County Detention Board. He was a current Board Member of the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation and the President of the Lake Region Electric Cooperative Board of Directors. Bobby was also a Master Mason and a member of the Shriners. Bobby was a retired Hulbert Volunteer Fireman and retired from Ironworkers Local 584.
An avid hunter, fisherman and rancher, he loved to spend time doing all the things he loved with his children and grandchildren. Bobby had a huge heart and loved all kids, taking in many through the years when they needed guidance or a place to call home. We will never know all that he truly gave to people. He was humble and didn't do things for the attention or praise, he would even dislike the mention of this now in his final tribute.
His family will always remember that he loved starched Levis, casinos, sweet tea and Dianna. Not particularly in that order. Every trip was an off map adventure, every visit became a new story. Plain and simple, he made things fun, they loved doing life together and it showed. He loved deeply and that huge heart was pure gold. He and Dianna spent their days together working on the farm, in the garden and traveling to whatever activity their grandchildren were involved in at the time. They loved spending time together, lived a happy life and made a beautiful home. Bobby was never happier than when all of his family and loved ones were at their home. His family was everything to him.
Bobby was preceded in death by his mother, Agnes; his mother in law, Ruth Gritts and his father in law, W.T. (Joe) Gritts; two sisters, Lillie Mae Satterfield and Carla Faye Dick. Bobby is survived by his wife, Dianna of the home; his son, Billy Mayfield and wife Amber of Jenks; his daughter, Jennifer Hughes and husband, Eddie of Hulbert. His beloved grandchildren Ashleigh, Shadow, Bodey and Pepper Hughes. Phoenix and Wren Mayfield. Three brothers, LeeRoy Mayfield of Hulbert, Oklahoma, Jack and LaKita Mayfield of Coweta, Oklahoma and Eugene and Jan Mayfield of Muskogee, Oklahoma. Four sisters, Yvonne and Harold Ogden of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Nadine and John Arbuckle of Orlan, Missouri, Shirley Jones of Tahlequah, Oklahoma and Sandra and Randy Presley of Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
Pall Bearers are Mick Graham, Jesse Gritts, JJ Gritts, John Gritts, Bucky Jones, Bryan Jones, Chad Dick and Brad Presley. Honorary Pallbearers are Randall Shankle, Bob Webb, Carl Faye Jones, Wade Tackett, Scott Manes, Gary Cooper, Jack Teague, Gary James Cooper, Keith Shankle, Marty Wynn, Bobby Botts, Alva Moss, Herb Davis, Calvin Whitekiller, Jerry Henson, Dewey Keener, Hamid Vahdatipour, Luther Halpain and Raymond Daniels.
In lieu of flowers, contributions not in Memory of Bobby, but In Honor of his true hero and survivor, Shadow Hawk Hughes may be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
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