Laura Mae May

Obituary, Laura Mae May

April 19, 2019

Laura Mae May, age 95, long-time resident of Valley Acres, died at home on April 18, 2019.  Laura was born September 28, 1923, on a homestead near Upton, Wyoming.  Her parents were Howard and Lillie Norris Butts.  Laura attended a one-room country school before entering and graduating from Upton High School.  In 1941 she travelled to Tacoma, Washington, where she met and married Willard May.  The couple were married 67 years until Willard’s death in 2009.  Willard was in the Army and they moved frequently during the first few years of their marriage.  After leaving the service they returned to Wyoming and settled on the family farm.  There they farmed and raised sheep for several years before relocating to California.  They lived in the Buttonwillow area at first, and then bought a home in Valley Acres where Laura has lived for the last 58 years.

Laura was a homemaker and worked raising her seven children.  When grandchildren started coming, she spent many hours rocking babies and singing lullabies.  She was so happy she got to meet and hold the newest babies in the family who are three and four months old.  Grandma’s house was a place her grandchildren still love and remember fondly. 

Laura is survived by her children:  Eileen Mattox, George (Linda) May, Evonne (Byron) Hubbard, Marilyn (Greg) Johnson, Winfield (Gail) May, Debbie (Darrell) Hawley, and Kim and Jeff Miller. 

Grandchildren:  Jesse (Jessica) Eiland, Jimmy (April) May, Brandi May, Nicole (Tom) Potter,  Shannon (Warren) Gafner-Holmes, Sherman (Priscilla) May, Jayson (Cortney) May, April (Ryan) Phillips, Leah (Zac) Page, and Emily (Eric) Weis.

Great Grandchildren:  Kalyce (Dustin) Terry, Jared May, Tyler Kuenemann; Cole and Caleb Wolff; Melanie and Seth Beasley; Ivy and Max Gafner; Layton and Mitchell May and Paisley Dodson; Victoria, Brendan, and Braysen May; Olivia and Abby Page; and Elsie and Elliott Weis.

Great Great Grandchildren:  Ellie and Kaison Terry

Laura is pre-deceased by her parents, two brothers and a sister, and her husband, Willard.

A memorial service is scheduled for Sunday, April 21, at 11:00 am at the Taft Seventh Day Adventist Church, 401 Harrison Street, Taft.  Pastor Zac Page will officiate.

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