Monty Mayhue Funeral
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Monty Edward Mayhue
Passed: Sunday, November 9, 2025
Funeral: Thursday, November 12, 2025
Location: First Baptist Church of Gray
Interment: Gray Memorial Gardens (Cedar Ridge)
Wife: Ginger Mayhue
Children: Ashley (Matt) Bunn, Matt (Delta) Mayhue, Brooke (Marcus) Stanford
Grand Children: Landon, Mayson, Aria, Maverick, Mallex
Brother: Chuck (Michelle) Mayhue
Sister: Renee (Jim) Lessel
Order of Service
Procession
Welcome and Scripture - Rev. Randy Darnell
Song - Heaven Was Needing Another Hero
Message - Chaplain Lisa JohnsonSong - Amazing Grace - Elvis (recording)
Family Message - Ashley Bunn, Matt Mayhue and Brooke Stanford
Song - I Can Only Imagine - Mercy Me (recording)
Song - ESPN bumper music (recorded - don’t publish this)
Message - Rev. Randy Darnell
Prayer & Recessional
Graveside
Scripture
Song - Lead Me Home - George Sheffield
Message - Rev. Randy Darnell
Funeral
Procession
Welcome and Scripture - Rev. Randy Darnell
I want to welcome you to the Celebration of the life of Monty Edward Mayhue.
Your presence here is a comfort to the family and a testimony of the care and concern you all have for each other.
May the Lord richly bless you all.
Monty was named Monty Edward Mayhue.
Edward was Charlie’s name, so we can see where that comes from.
But Monty?
Monty is a bit of an unusual name.
He wasn’t named after Monty Python - they weren’t around yet.
And Monty wasn’t short for Montana - as some particular future daughter in law might have been led to believe.
His name was simply Monty and he was a hero in his family’s eyes.
As the family told me stories of Monty, a couple of passages of scripture came to mind.
The first is from Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
We’ll talk about why that reminds us of Monty and his family later.
The second might be a little more obvious.
I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.
As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.
I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
If you think about those verses, I bet you can figure that why that sounds like Monty.
Let us pray:
Dear Father in heaven,
We cannot thank you enough for the hope we have in Jesus.
Were it not for your grace and mercy, today would be a horrible day.
Not only would we be grieving because Monty isn’t with us anymore
We would be grieving because we would know that Monty was gone forever.
But because of your unimaginable love, you sent Jesus to live, die and then live again
So that young Monty could hear you call his name
And he would trust in you and be given eternal life.
Dear Lord,
As much as we miss Monty, we are so proud that he isn’t suffering anymore.
That he’s feasting at the marriage supper of the Lamb
And he is walking and talking and running into the arms of Jesus.
You have indeed made all things for Monty new.
Thank you for your comfort and strength.
Thank you for creating the family that Monty enjoyed so very much.
But thank you most Lord for Jesus.
Through Him, You made all things possible.
Bless your name, O Lord.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Song - Heaven Was Needing Another Hero - Jennifer Mitchell
Message - Chaplain Lisa Johnson
Song - Amazing Grace - Elvis Presley
Family Message - Ashley Bunn, Matt Mayhue and Brooke Stanford
Song - I Can Only Imagine - Mercy Me
5 count - Bumper Music ESPN
Message - Randy Darnell
For the uninitiated, my walk on music was the ESPN theme song and that makes such sense.
Why?
Because you can’t say Monty without saying sports
And… you can’t say Mayhue without saying family.
Right this moment Monty has a UGA blanket that he stole from Ashley on his legs
And he has a Christmas blanket that Mallex gave him in his pocket.
Sports and family - that sums up a vast portion of Monty Mayhue’s life.
Monty was born on Saturday, October 18, 1958 in Stuttgart, Germany
But that was only because Charlie was in the military.
Almost all of Monty’s life was spent right here in Jones County and Monty loved it here.
If you knew Monty you knew he was an outgoing kind of guy.
Friendly and easy to talk to.
Growing up, Charlie and Gloria took the family to the usual places
They went to the mountains and the lake.
But many of their memories of growing up revolved around their home.
It absolutely was not unusual for a friend to be invited over to dinner right now, today.
No calling and asking, just, ‘Hey mom, so-and-so is going to eat dinner with us.”
And Gloria fed them.
Everyday after school, they would come home to fish sticks and tater tots
or Spaghetti-O’s
Or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Everybody talked about what a great cook Gloria was.
Monty grew up eating southern fan favorites
Chicken and dumplings
Strawberry cake
And I know for many of you this sounds - not so good maybe -
But I can smell and taste fried bologna with sautéed onions.
That was food for Monty’s soul.
And he needed it for the man was a competitor.
We didn’t talk much about what he did in high school.
Although I did see one picture in Monty’s highlight reel with him wearing a basketball uniform.
It was his courtship with Ginger that defined his competitiveness.
If I have it right, Monty was dating Ginger’s room mate at the time.
It wasn’t a “stole your boyfriend” thing - she and Monty just ended up not being an item anymore
But Monty obviously liked who he saw in his ex’s room mate.
So they went bowling.
Monty didn’t realize at the time what was about to happen to him.
Ginger had been bowling league ball for a while and was very good.
They bowled and she crushed him.
They bowled some more and she crushed him some more.
One day, on her way home from work, she recognized Monty’s truck in a parking lot.
In the bowling alley parking lot.
The boy was practicing because he couldn’t stand getting whupped regularly.
So he kept practicing
And he did get very good and eventually, he finally beat Ginger.
They traveled together doing tournament bowling and were good enough to place in the money some.
Monte eventually bowled his best game ever - a 298.
If you don’t know bowling, 300 is a perfect game.
On the last ball of the 10th frame, he ended with something like a 7/10 split - two pins that refused to go down.
That would have killed me, but still, how many people do you know that have bowled a 298?
They met in 1982 and dated a while.
They were married in 1983 at Charlie and Gloria’s house.
Went to Atlanta for their honeymoon and on Sunday got up and went to a Braves double header.
Then it was back to work Monday.
But Ginger, after knowing you two and hearing your stories, I can’t explain how much I know God put the two of you together.
First of all, I don’t know many women who could have kept up with him.
Just your stories made me tired.
If ya’ll weren’t headed somewhere, you were getting ready to go somewhere
Or you were just getting home from somewhere.
Ya’ll lived life wide open.
It was apparent from the pictures too that you and Monty were more than married.
You could see your friendship.
I loved that we could see that.
And Ginger, the way you took care of Monty for these last three years.
You made a vow at Charlie and Gloria’s house that said, “Until death do us part.”
I know these last three years were hard
And I suspect these last three weeks were almost torture.
I mean, watching him slowly leave right before your eyes and not being able to do anything about it but help make him comfortable.
I just can imagine.
But Ginger, you did it.
You made a vow to Monty and to God and you kept it in a most amazing, admirable way.
God bless you for what you did for him.
Monty did real good loving you.
Like I said, you can’t say Monty without saying sports
And you can’t say Mayhue without saying family.
If you knew the Mayhue’s and you couldn’t see that their lives revolved around their family, then you are obviously blind.
They did everything together.
I can understand what someone marrying into this family might feel.
Matt, Ashley’s husband, said for the first good little while, it was a bit overwhelming.
If you were marrying into this family, you were marrying the family.
You were going to be together, not once or twice a year, but once or twice a week at least.
They travel on vacation together.
They took a cruise together and got the stomach virus on that cruise together.
Every Georgia game - that’s every with an e - every single game, the family cooked food and brought it to Monty’s house and watched the game.
Every week.
And that started at home.
Charlie and Gloria got it started.
It continued on through Monty.
When the kids were small, he would wake them up on Saturday morning - you know the day the kids can sleep late
He’d get them up early, have breakfast ready for them and then they’d watch TV.
Not Saturday morning cartoons though.
Elvis Presley movies.
That’s every Elvis movie.
In the army Elvis.
Fat Elvis
Skinny Elvis
Elvis at the beach, Elvis the race car driver.
His favorite Elvis movie was, “Follow that Dream.”
Never heard of it - but got to go check it out now.
I’m just not sure it cultivated a new crowd of Elvis Presley fans though.
There are just too many fun stories to tell - and they had a lot of fun.
I’m sure they had hard times and disagreements - they wouldn’t be human without them.
But to hear them talk, all of the bad is drowned in a deep sea of wonderful.
They loved their Monty.
I don’t remember the age that Monty’s son Matt had to write a paper about “The Person I Want to Be.”
I think it was middle or early high school.
But this is what he wrote:
The person I want to be is an average man, one whose family comes first and then his job or hobbies.
I want to be a man that everyone can come to for guidance and help with anything, also a man that is strong and tough
Yet nice and gentle.
I want to be a man with a beautiful wife and kids who does everything together.
A man, who is happy with where his life is going, and has no complaints.
I wish to be a man that my kids will look up to.
A man that they will not be ashamed of or embarrassed by, but one who they will be proud of and look up to.
I want a good job and a wife who respects me and will love me no matter what the problem or outcome.
I guess all I am trying to say is, I want to be just like my dad!
That’s pretty killer, huh?
That’s why I read the scripture about grandmother Lois and mother Eunice and Timothy.
Family passing down values from generation to generation.
Passing down the ideals of faith, family and friends.
I hear people say they are going to let their kids find their way on those things
And I can’t tell you enough how foolish that is.
Just as children need to be taught math, science, reading and English.
Children need to be taught what makes a man a man and a woman a woman and a family a family.
Monty and Ginger set out to do that.
So we read another scripture too, from the twelfth chapter of the book of Hebrews.
Chapter eleven of Hebrews talks all about the great heroes of the faith.
He talks of Abel and Enoch and Noah
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Samson and King David.
He talks about all of the people who suffered immeasurable pain and torment for the faith
Who knew the Messiah was coming, but never got to see Him.
And yet, they never gave up their faith.
And then, in Hebrews 12:1 he says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”
Monty is in that cloud of witnesses now.
A long time ago by some standards, not so long for us that are that age
But a long time ago, Charlie and Gloria made sure Monty heard the good news of Jesus Christ.
He was taught that Jesus was the son of God, born of a virgin and laid in a manger.
He learned that Jesus is the only man who lived a sinless life.
He learned that Jesus was crucified by evil and jealous men on a cross - they thought they were getting rid of Jesus
Jesus knew that He was the final perfect sacrifice that could take away the sins of humanity.
He was buried in a tomb and on the third day of being buried, Jesus rose from the dead.
He ate food and taught his disciples and over 500 people saw him.
Then He ascended into heaven where He sits right now until the day that He returns.
And He will return.
Charlie and Gloria made sure Monty heard that.
And one day, the Lord opened Monty’s eyes and ears and Monty understood that Jesus died for his sins.
That Monty needed to turn his life over to Jesus and be saved.
And so he did.
When Sunday rolled around the other day, an angel of the Lord was sent to Monty to gather him home.
Monty took his last breath and then he joined this great cloud of witnesses
People who witness - who tell the story of Jesus’ greatness, His power and mercy and grace.
And they are there to remind us to put aside anything that would hinder us from running as hard and as fast as we can towards Jesus.
So that when our bodies run out of gas like Monty’s did
We don’t stop living.
I can imagine that to some of you that just religious nonsense, and I get it.
Born of a virgin
Raised from the dead
People don’t do that - which really, is the point.
People don’t do that.
But if Jesus is the son of God - well, yep, He can do that.
And He did.
The Lord may not have blessed Monty with the longest life.
But he sure enough blessed him with a good life.
The bond his family has is a testimony to that.
The friends that came to the visitation last night and that are here right now are a testimony to that.
The stories that the family told so fast that I could barely keep up with them
The laughter and the love so evident in the voices is a testament to that.
We are all going to end up being the guest of honor at a soiree’ like the one we are attending today.
If Monty has done nothing else for you, I pray he’s helped you understand that you have business with the Lord to take care of before your day as the guest of honor arrives.
Because it will arrive.
And you will meet Jesus.
Please make sure you are ready.
Let us pray:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Our brother is out of our sight, but he is not out of Yours.
Thank you for Monty.
Thank you for the joy his family has as they remember their husband, brother, dad and friend.
Thank you for a family that has stayed close and shared so much of their lives together.
Help them keep this legacy alive.
But most of all Lord, call them to keep a faith legacy alive.
It’s a tragedy that Monty had a horrible cancer and it took him out.
But its a miracle that the cancer could only take his body
Because You took his soul.
Bless you Lord.
Now we ask through the power of the name of Jesus that you comfort this family and all of their friends.
Bring them peace and floods of beautiful, wonderful memories.
And Lord, bring them all to a saving knowledge of Jesus.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen
Graveside
Hear now the Word of the Lord from Hebrews 13:14
For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.
Let us pray:
Lord,
Standing under the blue of the sky
With the breeze and the cool air and the leaves falling all around
Help us to see you in the majesty of your creation.
And know, and really know the comfort of your spirit.
Father,
This is hard, almost too hard.
Give us the strength to keep going on.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Song - George Sheffield - Lead Me Home
I think every person feels at some point in their life like they don’t belong here.
Many - too many - put that feeling away.
It’s insecurity, it’s a problem with self-esteem.
It’s some psychological something or other.
But really, it’s not.
It’s the Holy Spirit of God nudging us towards a truth.
We don’t belong here - this is not our home.
With all that Monty did
From trivia games in the car on vacations
To playing golf and softball and watching the kids and grandkids ball games.
With all of the love and joy and just plain fun they shared.
In the background, a clock was always ticking.
When Monty and Ginger married, there was coming a day.
When Ashley was born, then Matt, then Brooke
With every marriage and every new grandchild, there was coming a day when it would end.
At least end here.
We don’t belong here.
This world is not our home.
The more Monty’s cancer progressed, the more aware he was that this wasn’t where he belonged.
He fought a valiant fight.
He wanted to be with his family as long as he could
And he wanted to spare them the heartache they feel today.
But that’s not a battle that can be won.
We can only stave it off for a little while
But one day, the clock stops ticking.
So what stops us from going insane?
Lots of people do lots of things
Some people do crazy things
But Monty, well, Monty clung to the home that was coming.
About 2,500 years ago or so, King David of Israel wrote a song and put it in a book
And by the grace of God someone had the good sense to keep it for us.
Monty read the song and hung on to it’s words.
A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
The song is a song of a man on a journey.
He had a Guide who gave him places to eat and places to rest.
The Guide took him down the right path towards the right destination
And even when it got so dark that he thought he might die
The Guide comforted him and gave him strength to keep going.
Monty could never say that goodness and mercy didn’t follow him because it most assuredly did.
Life was hard, but good.
And now, Monty is dwelling the house of the Lord, forever.
He Guide led him home.
Let us pray:
Holy Father, We commend into thy hands of mercy the soul of this our brother departed, Monty
And his body we commit to the earth, beseeching your infinite goodness, to give us grace to live in your fear and love and to die in your favor
So that when the judgement shall come which you have committed to your well-beloved son,
Both this our brother, and we, may be found acceptable in your sight
And that we receive that blessing, which your well-beloved son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear you, saying
Come you blessed children of my Father: Receive the kingdom prepared for you before the beginning of the world.
Grant this merciful father for the honor of Jesus Christ, our only Savior, Mediator, our Advocate and our Friend.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Amen
