Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Dalton Wayne Mayo, 79, of Clinton, NC, died Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital in Washington, NC.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, April 1, 2023, in the Chapel of Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington and will be officiated by Rev. Andy Wood. A private family burial will be held later.

Dalton was born March 30, 1943, in Blounts Creek, NC.  His parents were William John and Minnie Mae Paramore Mayo. He attended Chocowinity Public Schools before earning his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees at East Carolina University.  He later earned his Doctor of Education degree at North Carolina State University.  He spent much of his professional life in the North Carolina Community College System, retiring as an administrator at Sampson Community College in Clinton, North Carolina.

Dalton was an active, faithful, and dedicated member of the First Baptist Church in Clinton where he taught Sunday School for many years.

Mr. Mayo began his Masonic journey in 1970, in Hiram Lodge No. 98. He proved to be a quick study, being initiated February 3, passed February 17, and was raised March 3, of 1970.  Dalton became a Certified Lecturer on September 22, 1970, a little more than six months after being raised a Master Mason.  His Masonic career spanned more than 53 years of active ritualistic work.  He served his Lodge as Master in 1978, Secretary from 2002 to 2010, as well as District Deputy Grand Master and District Deputy Grand Lecturer of the 11^th Masonic District.

Dalton was appointed in 2005 as Junior Grand Steward of The Grand Lodge of North Carolina. Through the years, Dalton has served on the Board of General Purposes, Past Chairman and Past Secretary of the Board of Custodians, Past Chairman of the Board of Publications, and many other Boards and Committees.

Dalton was elected in 2013 and served the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons in North Carolina as its 161^st Grand Master in 2014.  He was appointed Grand Lecturer in 2019 and in 2020 was presented the Joseph Montfort Medal for his distinguished service to The Grand Lodge, the highest honor a Mason can receive in North Carolina.

He was a 33° Scottish Rite Mason, a member of York Rite and several of its various Bodies, a Sudan Shriner, and is a Past President of Chapter # 97 of National Sojourners.  He was elected to Honorary Membership of many Lodges across the state.

Mr. Mayo is survived by sisters, Faye Mayo Williams (Orville) of Kingman, AZ, and Brenda Mayo Cox of Washington, NC and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by brothers, William Mayo, Thurman Mayo, and sisters, Melva Swiger, Annie Coover, Beatrice Woolard, Nettie Crisp, Lucille Moore, and Joyce Mayo.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM At Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, 600 College Street, Oxford, NC 27565 or to MESH, LLC, Fraternal Friendship Program, 700 S. Holden Road, Greensboro, NC 27407.

Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington is honored to serve the Mayo family.