Nellie Mayfield

Nellie Geneva Mayfield, 76, of Thatcher, entered into rest on Friday May 29, 2015 in Safford, AZ. Nellie was born May 23, 1939 in Lindsay, CA to George Donaldson Sanders & Nellie Leona Huffman Sanders. Nellie was her fathers caboose as he liked to call her. She had 4 older brothers; James Donald, Walter Eugene, Howard Vernon and Robert Raymond and 3 older sisters; Ruth, Ruby and Betty Roberta Sanders. The family lived in Lindsay, CA for 11 years until her fathers health forced them to move to cooler climate when they moved to Sebastopol in northern CA. She loved the cooler temperatures and mostly the fog and often stated if only Arizona had fog every now and then. Nellie attended schools in CA until she was 16. It was then that she met her future husband, Ronald Gene Mayfield. Ronald was in the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Oakland, CA. Upon his discharge, he returned to his home in Morenci, AZ and realized he couldnt live without Nellie so they became engaged and shortly thereafter, married. It was quite a shock to Nellie to come to Arizona and realize that along with the cactus, coyotes and Grand Canyon came the heat and no trees! After 2 years in Arizona the family moved back to northern California for work, where their daughter, Cathie Elaine was born in January 1958. After a year the family decided to move back to Arizona to be closer to Ronalds parents and settled in Hayden, AZ. In March of 1961 their son Willie Gene was born and then in December of 1962 their son George Ronald joined the little family. The family remained in Kearney until 1993 when they moved to Safford to take care of Ronalds mother. Nellie loved to cook and was good at it. She also liked to sew and knit afghans. She always served others, had great faith and loved the Lord. She was a lady without guile. She loved her family and would do anything for them. She was a wonderful wife, mother, sister, grandma and friend. Nellie is survived by her daughter; Cathie, grandchildren; Trampes, Jessica, George, Christina and Christopher, sisters; Ruth and Betty, two great-grandchildren and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; Nellie & George Sanders, husband; Ronald Gene Mayfield, sons; Willie Gene and George Ronald Mayfield and brothers; James, Walter, Howard and Robert Sanders and sister, Ruby. A viewing will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Thatcher Stake Center with the funeral service to follow at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be in the Pima Cemetery.