Milton Finis Mayfield

Milton “Milt” F. Mayfield, 80, of Grants Pass died Dec 26, 2017 with his family by his side. Milt was born on February 19, 1937 in Klamath Falls, OR to parents Donald F. Mayfield and Maxine H. Mayfield. The family moved from Klamath Falls to Josephine County, living in the Illinois Valley and Williams areas before settling in the North Valley area of Grants Pass. Milt graduated from Grants Pass High School in 1956 and attended Oregon Technical Institute where he studied diesel mechanics before serving in the United States Army. Milt married Dianne Houston on Oct 22, 1966 in Yreka, CA and the couple settled in the Grants Pass area. The couple had 1 daughter. Milt worked in the timber industry for many years, starting out as a teenager as a choker setter for his dad’s logging company. As an adult, he taught logging sports at Rogue Community College and was foreman for one of the Josephine County Forestry crews as well as owning and operating Mayfield’s Tree Service. As the forestry industry began to decline, Milt went to work for and retired from the downtown Safeway store. Milt was a skilled logging sports competitor, holding the World Champion Axe Throwing title in 1966. In 1970, he and bucking partner Art Williams of British Columbia won the novice Double-Bucking World Championship – the first time two countries shared a world championship. Milt won several bucking, axe throwing, and high climbing competitions throughout the western US and Canada. He and his dad, Donald, also put on climbing exhibitions where Milt would climb up a pole using spurs while Donald used spring boards. When they both reached the top of the pole, Milt would lay across the top while Donald shaved his beard off with an axe. No safety nets were used in their exhibition. Milt was also selected as one of the loggers invited to participate in the 1976 Festival of American Folklife in Washington, D.C. where they put on a Pacific Northwest logging demonstration on the mall. In addition to logging sports, Milt enjoyed hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities. He also had a great sense of humor and loved to tease and joke with everyone. Milt was a member of the American Legion for 26 years. Milt is survived by his wife, Dianne; daughter Melody Joachims and her husband Jim of Grants Pass; 3 grandchildren, Sasha and Wade of Oregon and Daytona of New Mexico; 6 great-grandchildren of Oregon, New Mexico, and Norway; and 4 great-great-grandchildren of Oregon and Norway. Milt was preceded in death by his father and mother. Milt will be interred at Eagle Point National Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting the obituary and signing the guestbook at www.chapel-valley.com. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Salvation Army.