Dr. Edward J. Mayo, Jr., age 78, Holland, MI passed away on April 19, 2019 after a long illness, surrounded by his family. Born June 21, 1940 in Los Angeles to Edward and Margaret (Hussey) Mayo, he is survived by Cindy (McIntyre) Mayo, his wife of 45 years, daughter Meg Mayo-Brown and husband Greg Brown, son Edward Mayo III and wife Jen (Russell), stepson Jason Shear, and daughter Jennifer Mayo.
As Professor Emeritus at Western Michigan University, the Director of the Dick Pope Tourism Research Institute at the University of Central Florida and the Director of the Hayes-Healy Tourism Management Program at the University of Notre Dame, Ed was a scholar, writer, and teacher at heart, receiving the WMU Teaching Excellence Award in 1993. He served in the United States Air Force as Lieutenant 1st from 1962-1968 in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Ed, known as the best grandpa in the world, will be fondly remembered by his nine grandchildren, Ian, Jake, Austin, Casey, Ellie, Sydney, Max, Sam and Bridget, and by sisters Barbara Reed and Donna (Jim) Andrews, brother John Mayo and by his sister-in-law Julie (David) Shephard and brother-in-law, Bill (Peter Mollers) McIntyre. Ed will also be remembered by his numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, dear friends, colleagues and former students.
A great dancer and life of the party, Ed shagged balls with Ted Williams, proudly followed the Detroit Tigers after his father played second base for the 1945 World Series champions, and was writing a book, Sport and the Common Good, at the time of his passing. He is lovingly remembered by his family as generous, caring, affable, thoughtful, silly, and humble…in other words, almost perfect.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in memory of Ed on Thursday, April 25, at 11:00 am at Our Lady of the Lake, 480 152nd Street, Holland. A visitation will be one hour prior to the service.
Memorial donations in memory of Ed may be made to Special Olympics Michigan, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859.
Arrangements are by the Dykstra Funeral Home-Northwood Chapel.
