Local icon dies of heart attack at 46

By Cassie Tomlin

Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008 | midnight

While families huddled along Nevada Way Saturday soaking in the lights and music of the annual Christmas parade, a group gathered around the Coffee Cup was also remembering "Big John" Mayo, a local icon who died of a heart attack that morning after a yearlong battle with congestive heart failure.

His friends watched the procession without Mayo and his family, who had wanted to be there that night, they said. Coffee Cup owner Al Stevens had planned a parade-watching party, but after news of his friend Mayo's death, it turned into an impromptu wake and benefit that raised more than $1,000 for his family.

Mayo, 46, a longtime bartender at Evan's Grille and a member of the informal fraternal "Soda Kings," was a man known and loved by everybody, his friends said — a gentle giant and a tough teddy bear who would do anything for you.

Services are planned for Dec. 13 at 1 p.m. in Multi-purpose Building, 861 Avenue B.

Born on May 16, 1962, in Phoenix, Mayo graduated from Cortez High School in 1980.

He was a die-hard Raiders fan, a biker often seen roaring around on his Harley-Davidson and a great bartender who'd pour your drink before you even ordered it, Scott Dombroski said. More importantly, Mayo was a great dad, husband and friend, Dombroski said.

A group plans to organize an annual golf tournament to help fund his son's education, Dombroski said.

Carin Mayo said her husband spoiled his children with vacations and never missed a baseball game.

"He was always there for everybody," she said.

Pat Schneider, another friend, said, "He had charisma, everybody loved him. He was just like anybody's brother."

He is survived by his wife of 15 years, Carin and their 9-year-old son, Vinnie, of Boulder City; a 19-year-old daughter, Ashley, and a granddaughter, Kali Ann, of Hawaii; his parents Ken and Carole, his brother Mark, and his sister Maryann Reed, all of Phoenix.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made at the Boulder Dam Credit Union to the John Mayo Memorial account.

Cassie Tomlin can be reached at 948-2073 or [email protected].