Van Dean Mayhall

Van Dean Mayhall, 91, of Navasota, Texas, formerly of Abilene, Texas, let go of his mighty grip on this life on August 30, 2025 in College Station, Texas, despite being a lifelong Texas Longhorn. Dad lived the last few years according to college football seasons. He was always determined to make it to the next season and was excited about this year’s team led by Arch Manning. I asked Dad if he thought they were going to be good enough to beat Georgia this year and he said an emphatic yes. Dad had to leave early the morning of this year’s first game against Ohio State and honestly, he would not have been ok with the 14 - 7 loss, so I’m glad Dad didn’t have to see that one.

Van was born in Salt Gap, Texas to William Claude Mayhall and Macie Diona Hampton Mayhall during The Great Depression. He described his raising as poor but full of love. Dad was the sixth of seven children and his whole family of origin preceded him and were waiting for him on the outskirts of Heaven, along with treasured dogs Pierre, Jake, Ming and Sage, led by his “Sweetheart Forever,” his wife of 50 years, June Myrle Garver Mayhall. After twenty years of separation, they are finally together again. I know Dad rushed to hold baby granddaughter Jacqueline Elise, whom he grieved here on earth. His siblings in birth order were Raymond, William Claude, Jr. (Bill/Bitty), Jewel Vivian, Ruth Naomi, Willie Diona (Donna), and Donald Ray. What a welcome it must have been! What a crew!

Van grew up in Big Spring, Texas, an intelligent and athletic boy. Dad’s family lived in a handmade structure with a dirt floor on the rich side of town. He loved school and sports and had lots of friends. The lore of Dad’s youth tells of a teenage outing in which nine or ten kids crowded into a Chevy convertible to drive around, sharing two beers, and when the motley crew rounded a corner, the car slowly tipped over on its side and the joyride was over. Dad was proud to be a four-sport athlete: football, basketball, track and men's softball. But in 1951, at 17, Dad was old enough to become uncomfortable with being the threadbare kid at the upper class school, so he quit to get a job.

Van had three jobs in his life. After leaving school, not including the couple of times he worked two jobs. After leaving school, Dad got on with the rock quarry. His first day, he worked all morning breaking rock. At lunch, the men, the fathers, stripped down and dove into the quarry lake to cool off as Dad headed home to eat. He didn’t return. Instead, he went to the Air Force recruiter’s office and joined the USAF and at 17, got on a ship for Tokyo, then on to Korea. Dad said joining the Air Force was the best decision he could have made. He said he couldn’t understand it when the other fellas complained about the food; it was plentiful and regular, so to Dad, it was wonderful. Threadbare no more, Dad loved his uniforms and his shoes. He took pride in looking sharp. Air Force lore tells the story of Airman First Class Mayhall going out for a raucous night of drinking beverages with the fellas and falling asleep on the beach before sunrise, baking in the morning sun. The next evening, the fellas had to peel his starched uniform shirt off his back, leaving only some skin behind.

Van married June on his birthday in 1955. The couple were stationed in Fort Worth, Texas, where they started a family. They had three sons and a daughter. And subsequently lived in some pretty cool places around the world: Freising, Germany, Washington DC and Montgomery, Alabama. But Abilene, Texas was home. After twenty-two years, supporting our family of six with all the wonderful benefits he earned with his hard work, Dad retired from the Air Force. He moved us back to West Texas, where our people are from. He then landed a job as an Architectural Draftsman in the Planning Department for the City of Abilene and gave them twenty-two years of excellent work before his final retirement. Dad absolutely loved his time at City Hall and made great friends: Helen, Joann, Mindy, Wayne...not an exhaustive list.

Van is survived by his four children: Allan Dean of Katy, David Scott of Abilene, Craig Steven of Abilene and Shanna Lynn of Navasota, along with nine grands and the many greatgrands.

A small group will inter his ashes next to June’s today at an austere windswept patch of dirt off I-20, Rosehill Cemetery; so fitting that they rest alongside the Texas highway, the thread across West Texas that connected them and their stories.

The family wishes to extend our thanks to Dad for being amazing, hardworking, hilarious, open-minded, dapper and incredibly kind and compassionate.

“I will have calluses from hanging on.” - Van Mayhall, on his theory of life

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