Melvin Emory Mayfield

MELVIN EMORY MAYFIELD, of Little Rock, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015. He was born to Emory Brian and Annie Rhea Mathison Mayfield on March 4, 1920, in Weinert, Texas. He was a veteran of World War II with overseas service on Okinawa. Afterwards, he attended Baylor University where he met and married Mary Bennett and received degrees in business and in law. He began practicing law in El Dorado in Aug. of 1950. In the years following, he was a two-term representative in Arkansas' General Assembly and a deputy prosecuting attorney for Union County. He served 18 years as Circuit Judge of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit before being elected to the Arkansas Court of Appeals in 1980. He was chief judge for the first three and a half years and continued to serve on that court until his retirement in 1996. Melvin was a member of Calvary Baptist Church and active in the Adult Department. He was preceded in death by his parents; stepfather, Ernest Allen; son, John Brian Mayfield; and an infant son; and sister, Frances Reynolds. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Mary Mayfield; daughter, Cathy Goudy (Ken) of El Dorado; grandchildren: Stuart Goudy (Jennifer) of Bryant, Casey Tucker (Jimmy) of El Dorado, and Susan Shoemaker (Brad) of Sheridan; and seven great-grandchildren: Gracen and Layten Goudy, John and Callie Tucker, and James, Conner, and Lila Shoemaker. Visitation will be 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday, Sept. 7, 2015 at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home, 13801 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, AR 72211, (501) 224-8300. Funeral will be in El Dorado on Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Youngs Funeral Home, 508 Champagnolle Road. Burial will follow at Arlington Memorial Park. Memorials may be sent to Calvary Baptist Church, 5700 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, AR 72207. Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal.