Kenneth Juan Mays

Kenneth Juan Mays of Kempner, Texas, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, July 21, 2025, after a brief battle with a rare and aggressive cancer.

Ken was born on October 28, 1965, in Sylvania, Georgia, to Joseph Mays and Almanita (Jackson) Mays. He graduated from Cajon High School in San Bernardino, California, and joined the United States Army in 1984. After completing basic training, he served as an Operating Room Specialist (MOS) and was stationed at Darnall Army Community Hospital at Fort Hood, Texas - where he would remain for the rest of his military and civilian career. 

In 1987, while stationed at Fort Hood, Ken met the love of his life, Melissa (Ulmen). They married on April 14, 1988, in Belton, Texas, and shared 37 devoted years together.

A dedicated athlete, Ken enjoyed cycling, hiking, walking, and weightlifting. In high school, he was a talented pitcher on the baseball team and remained a lifelong fan of the game. His professional passion was orthopedic surgery, where he became a master in the operating room—respected and beloved by his colleagues for his skill, dedication, and calm presence. He retired as a Certified Surgical First Assistant from the orthopedic department in December 2021.

Ken is survived by his wife, Melissa, and their son, Alan, both of Kempner; his stepdaughter Amanda and her husband Andy Gappa, and his grandson Tracyn, all of Madelia, Minnesota; his mother-in-law, Carmen Ulmen of Madelia, Minnesota; his father, Joseph Mays, and wife Teresa of Highland, California; his mother, Almanita Grier, and sister Ursula of Conyers, Georgia; and his brothers Rashaad Grier of San Bernardino, California, and Byron Mays of Mesa, Arizona. He is also survived by his brother- and sister-in-law, Michael and Jodi Ulmen of Madelia, Minnesota.

A date for inurnment at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, Texas, will be announced at a later time.

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