Delia Jean Covington Mayes was born on May 8, 1928 in Floydada, Texas to Francis Milton Covington and Mattie Emma Hall-Covington. She was named for her paternal greatgrandmother, Martha Adelia Clark.
When she was 1 year old, she, parents and older brother Bob moved to Dougherty, Texas. Several years later, two more brothers, Jack and Kent, were born.
Jean attended Floyd County public schools, graduating high school in 1945. In 1949, she graduated from West Texas State Teachers College, a school her mother had attended. She obtained a special ed certification from TCU in the 1970s.
In late 1949, Fort Stockton school system hired her and her lifelong school friend Dorothy Gressett to teach at Butz Elementary (Hispanic students only at that time). She taught there until July 1952, when she married Warden William Mayes Jr.
During the years that followed, they lived in Fort Stockton, College Station (where Warden finished college), Big Spring (four times), Arlington, Dallas and finally Lampasas.
Jean enjoyed cooking, sewing, collecting recipes, reading and spent considerable time researching genealogy for the family history books she wrote. She was a farmer’s daughter, so she loved gardening.
During WWII and when manpower was short, Jean drove a tractor and helped with seasonal harvest. She helped with the Dougherty station pumping fuel, washing windshields and helping with butane deliveries. She made many of the clothes she wore. Above all, she was devoted to her family and proud of her family lineage.
While living in Big Spring, she taught for three years at St. Mary’s Episcopal School, was active as a volunteer in Boy Scouts and Band Boosters. The family was always active at First United Methodist Church and community events.
In 2006, Warden and Jean retired to Lampasas, where they were active in First United Methodist Church.
Delia Jean is survived by brothers Jack (Tanya) and Kent Covington, her sons Brian (Anthony) and Rex Mayes (Mary), and grandsons Matthew (Sarah) and Ryan Mayes.
Jean Mayes died on June 8, 2023 in Victoria. She will be buried next to her husband of 70 years in Fairmount Cemetery in San Angelo.
A memorial gift may be made to a charity of one’s choice or to the Floydada County Historical Museum at P.O. Box 304, Floydada, TX 79235.
