Mary Lou (Carlin) West, CMSgt Ret. USAF, age 75, unexpectedly passed in her sleep in the early morning hours of January 3, 2026, in Lyndon Station, Wisconsin.

Mary was born on November 9, 1950, in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, to Elliot "Bud" Carlin and Evelyn (Peterson) Carlin. She graduated from Baraboo High School in 1968. Following high school, Mary enlisted in the United States Air Force and served honorably during the Vietnam era. While stationed overseas in the Philippines, she worked with the Chaplain Command, attending to the spiritual and personal needs of fellow airmen. During this time, she participated in Operation Baby Lift, assisting in the rescue of orphaned Vietnamese infants prior to the fall of Saigon. While serving abroad, she also adopted her first daughter, Jennifer Spears. After returning to the United States, Mary continued her service in the Air Force Reserve. She pursued higher education at Washington University in St. Louis, earning Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Business Administration and a Juris Doctoris. During this time, she also raised two children of her own, Sarah and Jason West. Mary practiced law in Marion County and St. Clair County, Illinois, and taught accounting at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois. She was then appointed to oversee the Illinois Department of Corrections law libraries of Southern Illinois.

She met her husband, Edward "Ed" Mayo, Jr., while working at IDOC Menard Correctional Center, where Ed served as a corrections officer. Mary always joked that they "met in prison." Following the events of September 11, 2001, Mary returned to active service in the United States Air Force Reserve. She rose to the rank of Chief Master Sergeant and served with the Office of the Chief of Chaplains, United States Air Force in Washington, D.C. where she was attached to the Pentagon. She retired from the Air Force Reserve in 2005, having completed 33 years of military service.

After retiring from military service, Mary returned to Southern Illinois and resumed the practice of law. She owned her own legal practice in Sparta, Illinois until retiring in 2012. Mary later moved back to Wisconsin with Ed in 2016, settling in Lyndon Station, where she remained until her passing. Mary was a proud member of the VFW Auxiliary, the American Legion, and served as Regent of the Fay–Robinson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). She was preceded in death by her parents, Elliot and Evelyn Carlin and her infant brother Joel Carlin.

Mary is survived by her husband, Edward Mayo; her children Jennifer (Mike) French of Baraboo, Wisconsin; Sarah (Ryan) Morgan of Fishers, Indiana; and Jason West of Washington, D.C.; her sisters Nancy (Lee) Howard of Baraboo, Wisconsin; Barbara (Gary Sheffield) Cairns of Bruce, Wisconsin; Janet (Pete) Edgren of New Lisbon, Wisconsin; Laurie (Dan) Perry of Dixon, Illinois; her brother John (Angie Valen) Carlin of Verona, Wisconsin; and her grandchildren Coraline, Madelyn, Megan, Kally, Zach, Dakota, Malyiah, and Logan. She is also survived by her stepchildren and many nieces, nephews, and close friends.

A visitation and memorial service will be held on Friday, January 9, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Conway-Picha Funeral Home in Lyndon Station, Wisconsin. A burial service will follow at Saint Johns Cemetery in Rock Springs, Wisconsin off of Ableman Rd. Military honors will be provided.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Badger Honor Flight. Mary was very honored to return to Washington D.C. on the 63rd Badger Honor Flight this past November 8, 2025.

Badger Honor Flight

PO Box 258066

Madison, WI 53725

Or, if the donor prefers, there is a link on our website under donations for credit card or VENMO users.

https://badgerhonorflight.org/donate/online-donations/