Kathryn Cummins Mays

Kathryn Cummins Mays, 77 of Lynchburg, died unexpectedly February 18, 2011.  She was born Sept 16, 1933, in Nashville, TN, daughter of the late John Fenner Cummins and Marjorie Devereux Cummins.  She graduated from Peabody Demonstration School (1947), from Ward-Belmont School (1951), from Holton Arms Junior College in Washington, DC (1953) and from Hollins College in Roanoke, VA (1955).   In April 1956 she married Mitchell Rutherford Mays, Jr., of Lynchburg, VA, who survives her after 55 happy years of marriage.   She is also survived by her brother, Richard Fenner Cummins (Polly) and Susan Cummins Tuke (Bob), both of Nashville.

Kathryn raised their four children in Lynchburg and contributed to the well-being of the city by her dedication to volunteer work in many areas:  the last two-year President of the Junior League of Lynchburg from 1967-1969 and the 1980 Sustainer of the Year, former Board member of The Free Clinic of Central Virginia for 20 years, Opera on the James, and Planned Parenthood. She also was a fundraiser for James River Day School and delivered Meals-on-Wheels.

After her children were grown, she worked as Executive Director of the Women\"™s Resource Center, a realtor for John Stewart Walker Realty and served as docent at the Maier Museum of Art.

Kathryn was friendly, fun, gregarious, exuberant, adventuresome, funny and loving. She never met a stranger and always lived her life to the very fullest.  She will be missed every single day by her husband, her children, her grandchildren and her siblings.

Besides her husband, she is survived by her children:  Marjorie (Debbie) Mays Rechner (Joe); Mitchell (Ford) Rutherford Mays III (Jeni); John Fenner Mays and partner of ten years Lorraine Poirier; and Kathryn (Kate) Paul Mays.   Also survived by her grandchildren: Robert Taylor Rechner; Margaret (Meg) Devereux Rechner; Mitchell (Cort) Rutherford Mays IV; Robert Caldwell Mays; Taylor Mae Timper,  Charles Henry Story III; and Anthony Morgan Pinelli.

The Memorial Service will be held at First Presbyterian Church on VES Road at 11:00 am on Thursday February 24, 2011.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Free Clinic of Central Virginia, 1016 Main Street, Lynchburg, VA 24504.

The Family will be receiving at the home of Ford and Jeni Mays following the service.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family, 434-237-9424.