Captain Patrick J. Mayhew, SC, USNR (Ret), passed away on February 23, 2024. Pat came from a line of Florida natives as both he and his mother were born in Jacksonville, Florida.
Pat grew up on Lakeshore Boulevard in Jacksonville. He attended St. Matthew’s Catholic School and graduated from Bishop Kenny High School. He went to Georgetown University and graduated from the Walsh School of Foreign Service in 1968 with a degree in trade and transportation.
Since Pat came of age during the Vietnam War and the draft, he entered the Navy in 1969 and became an officer in the Naval Supply Corps. Pat loved serving in the Navy. After active duty, he earned a MBA from Florida State University but continued to serve in the Naval Reserve. He retired as a Captain in 1994.
In 1986, a childhood friend introduced Pat to Helene Kirkpatrick and the rest was history. Pat and Helene were married at Pat’s childhood church, St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, on August 1, 1987.
During his civilian life Pat worked at Prudential, Ryder-PIE and CSX primarily in Internal Audit and payroll. He served on the board of the Omni Federal Credit Union and Harbor House Group Homes for Developmentally Disabled Adults. He was chairman of the board when Harbor House applied for and became a member of the L’Arche worldwide community. He was instrumental in starting the golf tournament which is now in its 34th year.
After retirement from CSX, Pat was asked to serve as the L’Arche Jacksonville Community Leader, which he did from 2001-2006. Pat loved his time with L’Arche, finding he received so much more than he gave.
Pat was active in his faith, playing the marimba in the folk choir for Holy Family Catholic Church, serving as a lector and on the School Board of Holy Family Catholic Church. When they moved to Nocatee, he and Helene joined the newly formed St. John Paul II parish and brought his marimba.
Pat loved to travel abroad and so he and Helene travelled all over the world. Even when mobility became more challenging, they still travelled on. Helene brought miniature schnauzers to the union and Pat loved having the dogs.
Pat was a kind gentle soul who loved his family, his friends, a good joke, a beautiful flower and music.
He is survived by his wife, Helene Kirkpatrick, his brother, Ted Mayhew (Lynne), his stepsister, Joyce Kruse. His extended family included his cousins, Jennifer Beville (Rory), Charlotte Roddy, Mary Catherine Drane. Although he and Helene did not have any children, he was proud of his nephews and nieces attempting to teach them all how to hang a spoon off their noses.
The Funeral Mass will be at St. John Paul II Catholic Church on March 14, 2024, at 10:00 am. Pat’s high school friend, Msgr. Michael Morgan, will be the presider. Interment will be on March 14, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at the National Cemetery in Jacksonville.
In lieu of flowers, the family gratefully suggests donations in Pat’s memory to L’Arche Jacksonville, 700 Arlington Road N., Jacksonville, FL 32211, (904) 721-5992 or Light to the Nations Capital Campaign, St. John Paul II Catholic Church, 127 Stone Mason Way, Ponte Vedra, FL 32081, 904-330-0153.
