Ocala - Clarence Joseph May, oldest son of the late James Ralph and Hilda May, passed away April 12, 2009 in Ocala, Fl. He was born in Laurel, Indiana on September 23, 1922. He graduated from Connersville High School, IN, and the Pan American and Columbia University, Atlantic Division in New York in 1942, having completed a two year accelerated aeronautical engineering program. While serving in the US Navy, he graduated from the V-5 pilot program, and instructed flight operations at the Naval Aviation Training Schools and the carrier operations training ship, USS Wolverine. Later, he was a Flight Engineer/Pilot stationed at the Naval Air Base in Alameda, CA, and recorded over 1500 hours of flight time in multi-engine cargo aircraft, delivering plasma and other medical supplies throughout the Pacific. Mr. May worked as a Production Project Engineer at the US. Naval Avionics Facility in Indianapolis, and then as an Engineer and Projects Manager for fourteen years at Lear Siegler's Instrument Division, in Grand Rapids, MI, where he was noted for designing and overseeing the production of the instrument panels for the Apollo and Gemini spacecraft. He retired in 1988 as the Quality Manager for Aircraft Porous Media, (PALL Corp), in Pinellas Park, Florida. Mr. May was a Life Member, past Commander and Adjutant of VFW Post # 10208 in Salt Springs, FL. He loved to travel the western US, was an accomplished artist, and created a significant portfolio of oil paintings depicting the lives of the American Indians. He is preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Edith Norvell, and brother Ralph Paul May. His survivors include his brother, Jerome May and his wife Mary of Clearwater, FL ; sister, Mary Rita Morris, of Morristown, IN; sons Edward Norman, Charles James, and Michael Ralph; daughters Patricia Silverthorn, Martina Wickizer, and Rita Ann Weirich; 11 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren., and his first wife, Rose Marie (Curtis) Vance. The family would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the members of VFW Post # 10208, the staffs of the Ocala Kidney Group, Davita Dialysis, and to Carol Tucker, for their generosity and endless support during the past few years. Mr. May will be interred at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL. A memorial will be held at the VFW Post in Salt Springs at a later date. Charitable contributions may be sent to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #10208 or the American Kidney Fund
Published in Ocala Star-Banner from 4/15 to 4/16/2009∼Parents James Ralph & Hilda ( Zacharias) May