Wayne , Wayne County , West Virginia

The community of Wayne is mourning the loss of a public servant.

Chief magistrate clerk Patricia Smith tells Eyewitness News that magistrate Teddy Mays has died.

“Magistrate Mays was a dedicated public servant who cared deeply about the people of Wayne County and his children. His was popular among his fellow magistrates and was known as a fair jurist. His court family will miss him,” said Janie Moore, Director of Magistrate Court Services in the Supreme Court Administrative Office.

According to Wayne County court employees, Magistrate Mays died sometime Monday afternoon of an apparent heart attack. He was found dead at his Wayne home after 9 p.m on Monday. Circuit judge Darrell Pratt says, "Teddy was loved by everyone in the courthouse, he's going to be missed not only as a magistrate but as a friend to a lot of people."

Fellow magistrates David Ferguson and Randy Wiles were both very close to Mays. They remember he could always make them smile, and say his loss is immeasurable. Black ribbons hung from each magistrate's door in Mays' honor.

Magistrate Mays was a life-long resident of Wayne County and graduated from Buffalo High School in 1982. Pratt says, "I remember him when he was about 13 14 years old I was a school teacher at Buffalo and had Teddy in class. He was a good kid then and he grew up as a good man."

Mays became a magistrate back in 2004. He was re-elected in 2008, and was running for re-election this November. Pratt says, "He always did the right thing he always went by the law, but sometimes it was a struggle for him because he was interested in trying to help people more than to just do his job."

Before serving as magistrate, he worked with the Brick and Block Layers Local No. 5 for 20 years.

He also helped coach girls’ softball, midget league football, little league baseball, and youth league basketball, according to the Wayne County courthouse's website.

Teddy Mays leaves behind four children: Dylan, 19; Macky, 17; Savanna, 15; and Leah, 6. He was 48 years old.

Morris Funeral Home in Wayne is charge of arrangements, which are incomplete at this time.

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