Robert Elkins Mays

Bob Mays (Robert Elkins Mays), was born in 1930 in the Hollywood Hospital, Los Angeles, CA. He passed onto Heaven in 2026 in Northridge, CA. when his heart finally stopped.

Bob graduated from Beverly Hills High in 1947, where he met and later married the love of his life, Jan Ewing on December 22, 1952. Bob obtained an AA degree from Santa Monica Jr. College and then began attending U.C.L.A., thus becoming a lifelong UCLA Fanatic! However the Navy called him into service in 1951 and somehow he transferred to the Air Force in 1952, where he started flight school at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona. He completed F-86 Training at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. After his marriage, he was sent to Korea, where he flew F-86 Sabre Jets. During his tour in Korea, his first son, Robert Mitchell was born. He was Honorably discharged from the Airforce in December 1955. By then he had a second son, William Michael. In 1956, they moved to Reseda in the San Fernando Valley. Before the birth of their 3rd child, Lori Lee in 1959, they had moved to their half acre mini ranch home in Northridge. There, they raised horses, chickens and rabbits, not to mention numerous dogs and cats. After the Service Bob flew for TWA. Upon being furloughed, he became an aircraft parts salesman primarily Motorola. Selling aircraft parts, he met the team at Western Commander Aviation located at the Santa Monica Airport and became their salesman. After becoming a minor partner, the whole operation moved to the Van Nuys Airport, becoming widely known as The Jet Center. In 1973 they had moved to Bobs current home in Northridge, just 3 miles from the Jet Center. The Jet Center was known for building out Gulfstreams and servicing Commanders while Bob continued to sell and fly various Aero and Jet Commanders until the facility finally was bought out in the early 1990s. Bob continued to fly his own Shrike Commander, while continuing to sell/trade Commanders almost to the day he died, despite taking his pilots license away at about age 86.

Bob is survived by his children: Robert M. and Lynn Mays, William M. and Christine Mays, Lori Lee and Aaron Nazar; 5 grandchildren: Amy Aras, Nicki Mays, Haley Weinrich, Jana Lance and Sean Nazar; 7 great grandchildren and one great, great granddaughter.