Paul May

Ocala - Paul was born December 19, 1924, in Portsmouth, OH, the son of Frank and Loretta (Kleineman) May. He passed away March 13, 2017 at Estelle's Hospice House in Ocala, FL at the age of 92.

At the age of two, he and his family moved to Ocala. As a young man, he worked as a trainer and jockey with the first thoroughbred horses that his father, Frank May, Carl Rose and John Clardy Sr. had brought to Marion County. Later on he became a member of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local Union #724 in Gainesville, which later merged with the local in Jacksonville and became Local #234. He retired from the union as a Master Plumber with over 60 years of service.

He proudly served his country as a Marine during World War II. Upon returning home, he married his sweetheart, Cecile Lennie Wells. They were married for 65 years before her passing in 2011.

Paul was a hard working person who led by example. He always had a good time whether it was enjoying Gator football, hunting, having breakfast with the guys at the Lunch Box on Wednesday mornings or playing cards with the gang on Saturday night. He was a member of the Ocala Elks Lodge #286 and the McGee-Branch Hunt Club in Levy County.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Loretta May, a sister, Charlotte May, a brother, George May, his wife, Cecile and his daughter Paula Ann May Grissom. He is survived by his son, Alan May (Connie), his daughter, Bobbi Gunter (Bill), his grandchildren, Richard May, Sheila Redfearn (Aaron), Ben Grissom (Angie), Travis Gunter, and Charlotte Kelly (Ricky), his great grandchildren, Eva and Jameson Redfearn, his sister, Mickey (Floyd) Hooker, numerous nieces and nephews, and his dog, Penney.

Memorial Service will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, March 20, 2017, at Countryside Funeral Home, with Pastor George Rainey Jr. officiating.  In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Paula Ann May Grissom Memorial Scholarship Fund at the College of Central Florida. Funeral arrangements are by Countryside Funeral Home, Anthony, FL.