Eloise Overton Mayo passed away on August 16, 2024, at the age of 92. She was born in Mississippi to Amy (Overton) Mayo, a school teacher, and Louis Allen Mayo, a minister in the Church of Christ. She earned her undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University. She was active in the YMCA in high school and college, and for few years she was the Director of Girl’s Programs for the Whittier and San Francisco YMCAs. She loved canoeing while working with their summer camps. She earned her Master’s in Education/Psychology from Stanford University. Her lifetime career was as a school psychologist for the San Francisco Unified School District.
Eloise joined the San Francisco First Unitarian Church in 1959 and was a member for over 50 years. She taught Sunday School for a few years and later was active in lay leadership including serving on the Board of Trustees three times in the 1970s and 1980s. In the early 1980s, she took time for intellectual and spiritual rejuvenation at Harvard University earning a Master’s of Divinity. She was ordained in 1983 at First Church Boston and then returned to the San Francisco schools. She was strongly committed to work in urban public schools, providing services to a wide range of children with special needs, and to the teachers and staff who supported them.
After retirement Eloise found community with the San Mateo Unitarian Universalists and the American Association of University Women (AAUW). She served as President of the San Carlos AAUW branch, attended their public policy and legal advocacy activities promoting education and equity for women, and she always enjoyed a good discussion with the Jane Austen book club.
Eloise had a passion for serving young people, including YMCA programs and summer camps, and AAUW’s Tech Trek for middle school girls exploring STEM. In the mid-1980s, seeing interest from her son, she was an early advocate for building more municipal skateboard parks. She was proud of the San Francisco Unitarian Church’s connection with Up On Top, which supports children growing up in the SF Tenderloin and Western Addition.
Family and friends remember her enthusiasm for reading, politics, bridge, jigsaw puzzles, camping, the San Francisco Symphony, Stanford Women’s Basketball, the Chautauqua Institution, Victorian architecture, travel, gardening, hosting events in her home, and for her deep love and support of her family.
Eloise Mayo is survived by her two children, Beth Johnson (Michele) and David Johnson (Colleen), grandchildren Hunter, Cassidy, and Max, her much loved nephews Lou and Robert, niece Carolyn, their children Cara, Ayden, Kelly, Mackenzie and Harrison, and her great grandniece Eloise. She was married to E. Remy Johnson for many years.
Memorial donations may be made to your local UU church, or to Up On Top (UpOnTop.org) 1187 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94109. Eloise’s pacemaker was donated to the University of Michigan’s “My Heart Your Heart.”
A memorial service will be held with the San Mateo Unitarian Universalists, 300 E. Santa Inez Ave, San Mateo on Saturday September 21 at 2 p.m.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.