Stedman “Ted” Clark Mays

Stedman ìTedî Clark Mays, 78, of Hendersonville, NC, died on Sunday, September 19, 2010, at the Elizabeth House hospice facility. He had been bravely battling squamous cell cancer for more than three years.

He was born in Augusta, Georgia, on June 12, 1932, to mother, Frank Inman Mays, and father, Bowdre Phinizy Mays. He grew up in Augusta and spent many happy summers with his family on Edisto Island, South Carolina. As a youth and throughout his life, he was an avid golfer, Augusta Country Club member, and a finalist in the Georgia State Junior Golf Championship. He graduated from Richmond Academy High School.

He went to the University of Georgia in Athens where he graduated with a BBA degree and was a member of the SAE Fraternity. In Athens, he met his first wife, Harriet ìBeepsî Steele with whom he had three children. They were members of Emmanuel Episcopal Church and the Athens Country Club. He became a successful commercial realtor-broker for 40 years and developed numerous housing, retail, and investment properties throughout the Athens area.

He retired in 1996 and moved to Hendersonville, NC. He was a member of the Hendersonville Country Club and very active in his church, St. John in the Wilderness Episcopal. In his later years, he became a history buff. He was especially interested in his familyís historical legacy, so he was an active participant in the Phinizy family reunions, the Phinizy lecture series at UGA, as well as activities related to other branches of the Mays-Crawford-Clark-Doughty-Inman family. He was also deeply interested in the historical legacy of Napoleon and was a member of the Napoleonic Society of America.

He is predeceased by his brother Samuel Mays of Augusta, and survived by brothers, Bowdre P. Mays, Jr., of Augusta; Inman Mays of Sarasota, Florida; and sister, Frank Mays Pride of Augusta. He is also survived by his three children: Stedman ìStedî Mays, Jr., of Athens; Bowdre Mays McAllister of Tampa, Florida; Mary Lou Mays Anglin of Athens; and his childrenís half sister, Elizabeth ìBinkyî Hudson Pienaar of Etowah, NC, who was like a daughter to him. His five grandsons and his close friend Joan Onofrio survive him as well.

The family will receive friends Tuesday, September 21, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the home of Binky Hudson Pienaar at 172 Talon Trail Lane in Etowah, NC (turn off Brevard Highway at Eagle Chase subdivision onto Burn Creek Road, right onto Talon Trail Lane). No local memorial service will be held.

Graveside service is at 11:00 am, Thursday, September 23, 2010, in Magnolia Cemetery, Augusta, Georgia, with the Rev. Dawson Teague officiating. Friends may call immediately following the ceremony at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Palmer.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Four Seasons Compassion for Life/Elizabeth House, 571 S. Allen Road, Flat Rock, NC 28731.

Elliott Sons Funeral Home is in charge of Augusta arrangements.