Obituary – Needa Faye (House) Mays (1933 – 2020)

Needa Faye Mays of Boles, Arkansas went to be with her Lord and Savior, Wednesday, December 16, 2020 in Waldron, Arkansas surrounded by her loving family. Needa was born July 10, 1933 in Mt Ida, Arkansas to Claud & Beulah House. Needa was 87 years old.

Needa married her sweetheart, Bob Mays, on January 21, 1949 in Mt Ida, AR. Bob & Needa were together for about a year prior to getting married. Growing up in a small community like Chant Lane, of course there wasn’t an over abundance of recreation. Bob & Needa spent a lot of their time together going to Boles to watch the movies played at the small theater there. After getting married, they lived at Mill Creek and Bob worked in the woods with Needa’s father, Claud House (Grandad). Bob & Needa had two sons, Bobby Ray & Ronnie Douglas. In the early 50s Bob & Needa moved to Littlefield, TX where they lived for about 8-9 years. Bob worked in the cotton gin, worked as a mechanic and later joined the police force. Needa worked as a waitress and a grocery clerk. Around 1952-1953, while Needa was working as a waitress, Waylon Jennings, (who was from Littlefield), came into the restaurant to buy something to drink. When it came time to pay, he did not have enough money (this was before he became a famous country singer). Needa let him borrow the money and he assured her he would pay her back one day. Wasn’t too long after that, he returned and paid her back.

In 1958 Bob & Needa had a daughter, Sharon Faye, who went on to be with the Lord. In the early 1960s they moved to Portales, New Mexico where Bob worked as a mechanic for the Highway Department. In 1965 they adopted a daughter, Dyiana Lynn. They moved back to Arkansas in 1969. In the 1970s Bob, Needa & Dyiana spent a lot of their time traveling & evangelizing. They also pastored a church in Crumptown during this time. Needa spent several years doing what she loved to do… waitressing. If you ever stopped in at Fred’s Truck Stop or The Midway Restaurant, you more than likely saw Needa’s smiling face. Around 1996 Bob & Needa moved to Bronte, TX where they lived for a few years before moving back to Arkansas. Needa spent the last few years of her life at Dalton’s Assisted Living Center and then the Waldron Nursing Center. Needa loved her children, her grandchildren, and all those around her. To know Needa, was to love her.

Needa leaves behind to cherish her memory: one daughter, Dyiana Kane & Husband Matt of Waldron; one son Ronnie Mays & wife Phyllis of Waldron; one brother, Troy House & wife Gayle of Boles, and two sisters, Mae Woodard & husband Herman of Boles, and Helen Townsend of Belton, TX.

Grandma will forever remain in the hearts of her 8 grandchildren: Andrea Taylor, Crystal Mays, Douglas Mays, Thomas Mays, Phylisa Millard, Sarah Catlett, Kerstein Kladis, and Hunter Kane; as well as 18 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren. Needa will be missed by all that knew her and the many lives she impacted; including a host of extended family, friends, neighbors, and loved ones dear to her heart.

Needa is preceded in death by her parents, Claud & Beulah House, her husband Bob Douglas Mays, one son Bobby Ray Mays, one infant daughter Sharon Faye Mays, one grandson Little BD Mays, one sister Melba Dean Royall, and one brother Johnny William (Jay) House.

Needa’s life celebration will be Saturday, December 19 at 10:00 a.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Waldron, Arkansas with Rev. Pat Ray Biggs officiating. Interment will follow in the Chant Cemetery in Y-City, Arkansas. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.

Needa’s pallbearers will be Hunter Kane, Douglas Mays, Larry Boren, Gary Lynn House, Randall Woodard, and Tyler Mays. Honorary Pallbearers will be James Royall, Larry Townsend,  Thomas Mays, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Needa’s visitation will be Friday, December 18th from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Heriatge Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Waldron, Arkansas.