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Memorial Video Services

"Lives Well Lived Deserve Stories Well Told."

Carefully Capturing a Legacy for Generations to Come

Stories Well Told, LLC is a Silicon Valley based media production team.  We produce stories in video to tell the most important one of all - a life well lived.  Biography style video stories with motion photos, interviews and graphics to showcase lives celebrated at Memorials & Special Events.  SWT also offers basic single camera recordings up to broadcast quality multi-camera live streaming of your event over any platform from anywhere.  Finally, a memorial live stream that makes you feel like you're there.  We're digital arrangers. Our creative video media group will craft, capture and share your stories to preserve a legacy for all to enjoy.

Lives Well Lived, Deserve Stories Well

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The Shawn Mayes Memorial Service
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The Shawn Buell Mayes Memorial

The Shawn Mayes Memorial Service

Shawn Mayes October 24, 1981 – October 4, 2023      We are heartbroken to announce that our 41-year- old son, Shawn Buell Mayes, of San Jose, CA, succumbed to stomach bleeding and Chronic Pancreatitis on October 4, 2023, at Kaiser Permanente Hospital. Born on October 24, 1981, in Los Angeles County, he was the son of Charles Buell Mayes (Chuck) and Dolores Mayes.  Our Shawn was a joy to his parents and others. Five years after Shawn’s birth he was joined by his brother, Benjamin. Shawn was baptized into Jesus Christ on August 8, 1993, at Central Christian Church, San Jose. He attended Bay Area Schools – Foothill Christian School, Campbell Christian School, Lynhaven Elementary School, Monroe Middle School, Valley Christian School, and Prospect High School. Shawn won a trip to Disneyland for the whole family.  While there his parents bought him a Mickey Mouse doll.  That night he slept with his dad and the doll.  He said, “It’s nice to sleep with someone I like a lot . . . Mickey Mouse!” Other highlights of his early days were receiving trophies in baseball and soccer, winning a Science Fair award from NASA in 5th grade with the help of his Uncle Dennis, volunteering as a Junior Lifeguard at the Campbell, CA pool where he taught swimming lessons, also taking high dive lessons at the site of Olympic training, the International Swim Center in Santa Clara, CA.  He was accomplished in high school wood shop. A peak in his life was the celebration for him being graduated from West Valley College earning an AA degree in Liberal Arts along with an AS degree in Park Management, receiving many Park Management certificates, also many times on the Dean’s Honor Roll.  Shawn loved the outdoors. Shawn never had any trouble finding work.  He would put his resume in Dad’s leather bag and off he went.  Some of his jobs were decorating ice cream cakes, delivering pizzas, clerking at a dry cleaners, and working in both county and city parks. Shawn loved seafood and he worked in the seafood department (sometimes in the meat department) at Whole Foods Market for many years.  He bagged groceries, cashiered, trained the team, then was promoted to a seafood buyer. Shawn was an expert at smoking fish, cracking crab, and preparing the seafood case to catch customers’ eyes. “We truly miss Shawn. You’re in our thoughts,” wrote Ryan, Store Support Team Leader at Whole Foods Market. A Bible verse was found on a paper in his room “The time will come when all the earth will be filled as the waters fill the sea, with an awareness of the glory of the Lord.” – Habakkuk 2:14. Once, during his admission to the hospital, he was asked, “What is your cultural or spiritual affiliation?”  He said, “Christian.” Being with friends was a joy to Shawn. His good friends included Katie, Shaun, Jeff, Nina, Lorraine, Ed, Jeanne, Trevor, and Georgia. Shawn was always giving gifts to his mother including jigsaw puzzles and clothes. He was proficient at barbecuing.  He enjoyed golfing, kayaking, swimming, attending Buckethead concerts, theatrical movies, and, since a boy, the Ninja Turtles. His special interests were the San Jose Sharks and, of late, accumulating collectibles. Shawn was always good at winter sports such as ice skating, snowboarding, and skiing.   He was a daredevil, scaring his parents, when after taking his beginner as well as his only skiing lesson, he at once descended the most grueling adult run.  However, he came out of it unharmed! He went to Hawaii for the first time and visited his friend, Trevor, including taking an excursion on mopeds. During Shawn’s lingering illness, many people prayed for his healing to the God of the Bible.  Shawn said that he really appreciated this. His other constantly declared appreciation was to the doctors, nurses, and case managers who helped him. Survivors include a brother, Benjamin Mayes; an uncle, Dennis Shofner; aunts, Nancy Rader and husband, Elmer, and Cherry Sallee and husband, Rick; great cousin, Marjorie Baker; and cousins, Patty Henderson and husband, Eric; Ron Laflin and wife, Debra; Karen Carlisle and husband Dan; and many other cousins. Shawn’s inurnment was on December 18, 2023, privately at Oak Hill Memorial Park by a beautiful garden with a statue of Jesus Christ rising above. O the beautiful garden, the garden of prayer, Oh the beautiful garden of prayer! Where my Savior awaits, and He opens the gates To the beautiful garden of prayer. Shawn will be greatly missed! www.shawnmayes.com
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What our clients are saying

"When I first envisioned honoring my father with a documentary of his life, I was overwhelmed with the magnitude of the project.  With encouragement and assistance from Brian, I was able to create a film that celebrates the extraordinary life my father lived.  Brian’s production & editing of the film reflects his professionalism, dedication, and attention to detail. I am so happy with the final product and I very much appreciated Brian’s assistance in presenting the documentary at my father’s service.  I am grateful to have worked with Brian on telling my father’s story of a life well-lived and blessed that it will be available for generations to come."

Mandy Capin

"We wanted to bring a relative into the service from long distance.  Stories Well Told recorded the person through Zoom and played it back, right on cue.  Thank you Brian!"

Ms. Jones

"A pleasure to work with.  Very detail oriented and dedicated to getting everything perfect.  Memories of a life well lived now preserved - priceless."

Ms. Smith

"There was a complex element to the service. We had a 21 gun salute outdoors that had to be seen indoors in the church.  It was very powerful.  Sound and video right on cue to add impact and military reverence to the service."

Ms. Craig

"It was important to stream the service live over Facebook and YouTube.  Stories Well Told has the remote controlled cameras to cover the tribute from every angle.  An incredible memory I can share with anyone, anytime, anywhere."

Mr. Brown

"Brian did an extraordinary job on our Mother's Memorial Video.  His creativity in communication and heart for your family is apparent in the finished product.  He actively listens to what you want and carries it a step further, as if he had read your mind.  His gift for this type of work is second-to-none.  He will go over and above to produce an excellent product.."

Ms. Hinsen

"No nonsense, capable, professional with great output.  Brian is easy to work with and very well organized. He knows his stuff."

Mr. W

"The service was very professional and personalized, making the event seamless and stress-free..  Working with Brian was awesome. He was very pleasant to work with. He listened to what we wanted, and he delivered an outstanding service."

Ms. Johnston

"Brian was a very professional Celebrant throughout the process. He was great at adapting his plans and assistance the day of the event and provided great suggestions and support to help the day flow smoothly.."

What is the main reason you would recommend?

"Professionalism and Compassion"

Mrs. Connolly 

"As a grieving family, putting together a Memorial is a very difficult process.  Brian was an angel in our darkest hour. We had family and friends in other parts of the US and Japan. Also, with Covid we did not want to have a large gathering at the memorial.  We hired Brian to help us stream our event.  We received so much more from Brian.  He was able to use his artistic skills and personal touch to create a lovely slideshow portraying our mother's life.  He also made the venue work beautifully with all the appropriate equipment to provide a smooth and cohesive ceremony.   Brian is sensitive and kind and was able to work with us in a compassionate way and helped us stay on track.  I cannot say enough about Brian's professionalism and ability to deliver all the details that worked for us.  We are so happy that he was part of what was, to us, a very important event."

Mrs. Samp

"I cannot recommend Brian Rhea and Stories Well Told highly enough.  I am so thankful to have found them as I was putting together my husband’s Memorial Celebration.  Brian was kind, compassionate, professional and sensitive throughout.  He is incredibly gifted in the work he does and is so easy to work with.  He arranged a wonderful photo slideshow of my husband’s life set to music and laid out a beautifully prepared program filled with photos.  To allow members of our family in Germany, Canada and the Eastern US to “attend” the service online, Brian worked seamlessly with the venue and the audio techs to produce a professional video filmed from many camera angles that made them feel like they were participating and yet was completely unobtrusive to those present.  I will treasure that video for the rest of my life.  Losing my husband has been the hardest thing I have ever gone through, but in the middle of my grief, I am so grateful Brian helped me honor his life in such a beautiful way and make a lasting testament to the wonderful man he was.  Brian Rhea and Stories Well Told are truly exceptional."   

 

Mrs. Talmon   

"You blessed our hearts and lives during a crushing impact in our lives but you brought out the beauty out of my Dad's life and brought some joy and comfort in what you created for us to treasure for a lifetime for our family.  It will never be forgotten and the love and support to our family has left a lasting impression on our family. "  

 

Harnish & Bermudes Family 

"What a treat to be able to enjoy those beautiful flowers again and be reminded of  how much my grandma loved her flower garden. Bless you for this special touch, for all you did to make everything go so smoothly, and especially for capturing so many special memories for generations to come. I appreciate you so very much and hope to be able to work with you again!  You played an integral part in lessening the stress and enhancing my ability to both honor Leonora and be present to my family and guests. I felt like we were in good hands and you handled everything with so much  attention to detail and overall professionalism. What stood out to me most was that I felt that you really cared about the quality of your work and about my family. We will never forget your competence and your kindness. " 

 

Stephanie Lehmann  

Brian's artistic creative talent is evidenced by his production of our son's memorial service.  We were so pleased with his work from the way the minister was first shown, the visual and audio recording of the music, the beautiful picture program segment, the presentation of the message of the other minister, and a dramatic and touching ending.  We could not think of anything that could be better to present Shawn's story. 

 

Truly a story well told.  Thank you, Brian!

Mr. and Mrs. Mayes

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Stories Well Told, LLC
2033 Gateway Place Suite 500
San Jose, CA  95110

408 244-7432

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