Dad loved writing, he majored in Journalism at the University of Oregon and learned to turn a phrase and express himself in very engaging prose. Thus his memoires turned out to be not just his story – they are a story of the Roaring Twenties, The Great Depression, Prohibition, the tide of War… a story of a life reflected in the prominent people and events of his time and his personal place woven into that time. It’s a story he tells with love and candor, with energy, humor and thoughtfulness, and in the end, it’s a story worth reading whether you knew Byron Willard Mayo or not.

For the few of us who have read this, it was surprising, revealing and entertaining. And I greatly wish he would have written more. The understanding of the influences that shaped and in some ways flawed my father make me love and appreciate him so much more. This is not an ordinary life. Dad was not an ordinary man.

I am proud to present the gift of my father’s memoires to his friends, relatives and anyone who enjoys a great tale. This is it.