Obituary of Molly Aileen May

Molly May beloved wife of William Clifford May of Calgary, passed away on Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at the age of 87 years. How do you describe someone as important in your life, as your mother. She is the best part of who you have become. Molly May was most proud of being her children’s mother. Her own life summary was, “I always learned more from the children than I taught them.” Molly May was a mother – first, last and always. Home was a special place for her family, friends, her children’s friends, and a welcoming destination for her relatives from other parts of the country. Most of all, Molly was half of one of the great partnerships of marriage. She met William Clifford May in Grade 6 in St. James, Manitoba, and by the time they went to High School, they knew they would spend their lives together. Molly and her mother, Bertha Grace Clark, answered Bill’s call in 1941 to elope. Molly and Bertha took the train to Toronto and Bill jumped the fence at the army camp to meet them there. Molly spent the weekend in Toronto where Bill married Molly on October 29 in St. Michael’s Cathedral. Molly and her mother returned to Winnipeg to wait five years until 1945 for Bill’s return from the African and Italian theatres of war. While she waited, she graduated from Secretarial School and became a stenographer for the Canadian Armed Forces. When Bill returned, their lives moved to Calgary, and then on to Vancouver, British Columbia where her shorthand skills brought her into the company of the Adjutant of the British Columbia Dragoons, Chunky Woodward, the same Woodward whose family started her favourite department store, Woodward’s. Molly and Bill moved back to Calgary to follow Bill’s career, which also took them to Germany in 1957. They returned to Calgary in 1959 where Molly continued to grow her family with Bill in her life after the Armed Forces career. She found time to volunteer for several favourite activities, and even returned to work full-time in the Federal Government’s Department of Indian Affairs where her shorthand skills became more and more of a celebrated rarity. Her passions were music and art, and she instilled a love for one or the other in each of her seven children. It was always her enduring pleasure to see or hear the children’s efforts in their choice. Molly’s life ended in just the way Molly would have wanted it to, holding hands in bed with her husband of sixty-seven years, her Willie, staring at each other all night until they both fell asleep at dawn. Besides her loving husband Molly is survived by her four sons and daughter-in-law, David May, Gregory May, Lee May and Shaun and Maureen May, three daughters and son-in-law, Hillery May, Julie Furneaux, and Roberta and Bruce McLean all of Calgary; as well as fifteen grandchildren. Molly was predeceased by her parents Frederick and Bertha Clark, her brothers, Dennis Clark and Jack Clark. A Celebration of Molly’s Life will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY’S, Park Memorial Chapel (5008 Elbow Drive S.W.) on Monday, May 12, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to The Alzheimer Society of Calgary, Suite 201, 222 – 58th Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB T2H 2S3, Telephone: (403)290-0110, www.alzheimercalgary.com. In living memory of Molly May, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES Park Memorial Chapel, 5008 ELBOW DRIVE S.W. Telephone: (403) 243-8200.