William "Bill" Merrill Mayo, Jr., 84, a resident of Pensacola, FL and Fayette, AL, passed away peacefully on Monday, February 8, 2021.

Bill was a proud son of the south and was a loving husband. He proudly served his country in the US Navy. He was born to the late Evelyn Adair Mayo, of Uniontown, AL and the late William Merrill Mayo, Sr., of Ashland, AL. In addition to his parents, Bill is preceded in death by his wife, Diana Dalton Mayo of Georgiana, AL. His family moved to the Birmingham, AL area in 1939 where he attended and graduated from Shades Valley High School. Bill had a love of the water and boating, he followed his father's lead.

Bill went through Naval flight training in Pensacola, where he was carrier qualified in fixed wing aircraft and volunteered for helicopter training. He flew anti-submarine warfare carrier helicopters from the aircraft carrier ESSEX, during the Cold War. He graduated from Auburn University in Aeronautical Administration and returned to active duty as a flight instructor during the Vietnam War. After that 4-year active-duty tour, Bill reverted to the Inactive Reserve where he flew the P2V long range patrol plane and flew for a year as a corporate pilot. An opportunity arose for Bill to go into the General Aviation business where he served as President and General manager for 17 years.

Diana Dalton of Georgiana, AL was his beloved wife of 53 years. After her passing in 2013, he was lucky enough to find another wonderful woman to marry and spend their autumn years together. Anne Maples Hamner of Fayette, AL has been the Angel by his side until his passing.

He is survived by his wife, Anne Hamner Mayo; godchildren, Jeff Schnoor (Claire) and his children, Sidney and Julia; Greg Schnoor and children, Riley and Ally, of Pensacola, FL; Kelly McGuire Wood, and Shawn McGuire (Deana) and children, Kayla, Marissa and Mason of Virginia Beach, VA; stepchildren, John Hamner and Jeanne Ward (Miles) of Athens, AL; Scott Hamner (Debbie) of Hoover, AL; and 10 step-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held 11:00am until a Celebration of Life Service to begin at 12:00noon Sunday, February 14, 2021 at Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel with Rev. Ken Griffin officiating. Interment will follow at Bayview Memorial Park with Navy honors.

Active pallbearers will be Gregg Schnoor, Jeff Schnoor, Mike Kelley, Chuck Sageibie, David Maples and Shawn McGuire.

Honorary pallbearers will be Wayne Sumlin, Russ Nolen, George Neuman and Morris Middleton.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to National Flight Academy (nationalflightacademy.com), 1 Fetterman Way, NAS Pensacola, FL 32508.