Gordon Thomas Mayfield

Gordon Thomas Mayfield was born on December 28, 1948, to Thomas and Oma Lee Parmley. After the death of his father, he was adopted by his father-by-love, Edwin Mayfield. He spent his formative years attempting to jump off the house with an umbrella parachute and “borrowing” tires off construction wheelbarrows to build go-carts. With his Army dad stationed in Maryland, he lived and attended school in Baltimore for few years as a child. It was here he gained the honor of being an upstanding member of the “safety patrol.” His duty of helping people cross the street was one he took very seriously. His family gave him the moniker “Buster” as a tribute to his uncle, who died serving in World War II, and as the youngest of four, he was adored by his older siblings. He graduated from Central High School in McMinnville, TN, in 1967. Here he earned trophies in football and baseball and the coveted title of “Bachelor of Ugliness.” He attended Middle Tennessee State University and became the first member of his family to earn a college degree. He studied political science, not because of any future political career, but because of his love of learning and history. While attending college, he met an Irving College girl, Nancy Woodlee. Despite her seeming disinterest and claims of needing to wash her hair, he decided to meet the challenge of making her his wife. Fortunately, he acquired a “hot rod Camaro” to gain her attention, and she eventually fell in love with his wit & charm. They wed on June 1, 1971. Much like a musician picking up an instrument, he found a hobby in photography that would become a passion and a career. And as fate would have it, his first photography class not only introduced him to the photographic arts but also to one of his lifelong friends, Kent Grizzell, a fellow history buff and travel enthusiast who would accompany him on many historical road trips. With his college degree, he began a career teaching old and interesting facts about the US and the state of Tennessee to middle school students. In the second half of his teaching career, he established a photography class that allowed him to bring both his teaching and photography professions together. For over 30 years, he created humorous nicknames for his students that stuck with them for life and gained superior skills in the sport of eraser throwing. Several students left his class with knowledge and more chalk on their person than when they entered. During this time, his wife gave birth to their first-born and ultimately his favorite child, Dachelle (aka Shelly). He promptly named her Beano, much to her later chagrin. For 12 years, he would make her a bowl of Quaker Maple and Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal with toast buttered on both sides. He would then wrap an unadulterated tuna fish sandwich (on white bread) in Saran Wrap and send her off to school to gain the knowledge she needed to “rule the world.” It was in the little things that he excelled, noting what people enjoyed and then doing what he could to bring a smile to their face. His love of literature and sarcastic, droll humor was a common bond between him and his oldest child. Eleven years later, a second daughter, Lindsi, was born. As it turns out, he discovered he had two favorite children. He nicknamed her Cricket as a child because of her constant movement. Gordon spent countless hours sitting on bleachers attending her many ballgames and even shared a camera or two with her when she worked in the family business right out of college. They bonded over sports, history, and travel. He always insisted he was glad he had daughters (“they smell better than boys”), and they could always count on him to slip them some cash as they went out the door. Gordon loved his grandbabies, and they loved their Papa. Their memories of him will include him treating them to lunch at the local meat and three, dancing with him to his wild music, sharing ice cream, napping at every chance, attending all of their sports, academic, and dance events, and reading his Kindle anywhere and everywhere. He traveled the globe in a desire to never stop learning and to see the world that he enjoyed reading about. He was a true history buff and spent his life gathering facts that were often useful during scavenger hunts and games of Trivial Pursuit. He was his family’s own personal Google, answering history questions they may have from the American Revolution to the Battle of the Bulge. Gordon was well known throughout the community as a photographer. He took pictures at weddings, schools, dances, reunions, businesses, and at his studio. Each September, he could be found under the grandstand at the Warren County A&L Fair surrounded by his work. People often quipped that he had photographed everyone in the county at least once. He was a deacon at Bybee Branch Church of Christ. A job he counted as an honor and spent many hours helping where he could. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Nancy Mayfield; his daughters Dachelle and her husband Jeff McVey (known by Gordon as “Jeff-o-ree”) and Lindsi and her husband, Nathaniel Green. He will be missed by his grandchildren Aidan (the boy), Lachlan (Goldilocks), and Aralen (Ari) McVey (The McNuggets), and Elliott (Boomer) and Carter (Cartier) Green (Bonnie and Clyde). He is also survived by his sisters, Joan Gulick and Sandra Lee; father-in-law Brown Woodlee; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Roberta Parmley, Dennis Woodlee, Sandra and Stan Hillis, and Vicky Woodlee. Several nieces and nephews also survive. A graveside service will be held at Armstrong Cemetery, McMinnville, TN, on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. Masks and social distancing are requested by the family. No visitation will be held at High's. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Meals on Wheels, 106 East End Dr., McMinnville, TN 37110. Online condolences may be made at www.highfuneralhome.com High Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.