Carole Joycelyn (Lyons) Mayo was born in the historic Newburg Community of Louisville, KY to George Ralph Lyons Sr. and Effie Magnolia Green Lyons on October 7, 1944. She was the middle child of her siblings. Though they were a large family, they were very close-knit and Carole was greatly loved by all. She came into this world with a gentle spirit, an unwavering commitment to education, and unyielding faith in the Lord.
Carole’s education began at Newburg School and she was a member of the second graduation class from Seneca High School. Raised in a very strict household, “muh” insisted all chores had to be completed before they could proceed to the skating rink or have any fun. Of course, in the Lyons household, Wednesdays and Sundays were reserved for church. As a young adult, she accepted Christ as her personal savior at Forest Baptist Church where she was an active member of the children’s, sunbeam and youth choirs. Using her melodious voice, she led numerous solos in the Forest Baptist Church Choir, and Louisville Choral Union as well as community singing groups such as the Harmonettes and Echoes of Jordan.
Carole’s older sister Patricia Ann preceded her in attending college; she was Carole’s inspiration and beloved big sister. Supported and encouraged by her family, Carole was the first in her family to receive her college degree. After Kentucky State, Carole went on to acquire two additional degrees: a master’s degree from the University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work and a second master’s in management from Webster University.
On October 1, 1966, she married her college sweetheart, Frank Eugene Mayo of Roanoke, Virginia whom she met on the campus of Kentucky State University. During her matriculation at Kentucky State, she joined the illustrious membership of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. – a public service sorority. One of her greatest joys was pinning both of her daughters as members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
After obtaining their college degrees, the loving couple relocated to Louisville, KY. Though life was different “post college,” marriage and family did not deter her from fulfilling her “big sister” obligations or any traditional family gatherings. To this union, three wonderful children were born: Cheryl Lavonne, Malcolm Mason Dubois, and Kupirai Ciceli. Her commitment to family and faith was consistently instilled in their children and reinforced through the Mayo family motto: “Respect All. Fear none. Study hard. Stay in shape. Trust God.” Together, the Mayo family was always taking in family members to help them grow physically, financially, and spiritually. And they were required to adhere to the family motto too!
Although she worked as a Professor with the University of Louisville and as a full-time social worker with the National Kidney Foundation, her greatest love was spending time with her family. During football season, the Mayo’s were devoted fans and season ticket holders of the University of Louisville football and basketball teams. Weekends were spent transporting her daughters to dance courses and, of course, Malcolm’s pee wee football games. The kids were also actively involved in the children and youth ministries of the West End Baptist Church. Through this ministry, Malcolm, Cheryl, and Ciceli personally accepted Christ and were baptized. This made Momma Carole very proud.
In 1997, Carole and Frank were determined to relocate to a more progressive, financially viable, and economically stable community. With the support of her family, the couple chose Dallas, TX. She immediately joined St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church where she served and sang faithfully in the choir. Building upon her vast expertise in social work and education, Carole continued her career in Dallas as a supervisor with the Dallas Independent School District’s (DISD) pregnancy education and parenting program. In this role, she managed 14 social workers, teachers, and genuinely loved the teen parents they served. As a leader, Carole empowered her staff to establish a rapport with this special population of ladies. Her staff members were held accountable for not only assessing the needs of young mothers, but also ensuring they were treated with dignity, empathy, and compassion.
After her retirement from DISD in 2009, Carole turned her commitment from caring for teen parents to serving another fragile population in our community—seniors needing assistance living independently. To her coworkers, Carole was a caring and compassionate leader.
On October 23, 2024, her heavenly father awarded Carole her final retirement and called her home to eternal rest.
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