Perhaps I was atypical in my youth for looking forward each year to the May/Bauer Reunion. There were families of Clarence and Dean May, Leo and Margaret Walter and Don and Mil Carlos, Aunt Betty, and various relatives from the Bauer clan (my grandmother’s side). Following the covered-dish meal the chairman-for-the-year would announce the deaths in the family and prayers for the seriously ill, followed by the election of a chairman for the following year.

 

The men would assemble elsewhere to talk politics (an inherent trait among the Mays) or play horseshoes, etc. The children ran off to play. Those remaining would launch into the history and genealogy of the May and Bauer families. On a couple of occasions someone would bring a flip chart on which Aunt Betty and Aunt Mill would diagram the lineage back as early as the 1600’s. Thus began my enduring fascination with Mai our heritage.
 

In inspiration to produce this biography was the realization that much of this history would vanish with the passing of the remaining third generation. So it is with great pride and joy to have this opportunity to preserve the heritage of my father Dean Francis May.

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Sincerely,

Joe May

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The DEAN F. MAY Biography was researched, written and respectfully submitted by Joseph H. May [Dean - 8th] with primary contributing support that began some 55 years ago with Dean’s sisters Aunt Betty and Aunt Mil; followed by in depth conversations with Robert [Clarence -3rd ], John D. (Dean -1st);  research by Amy May Everett (John D. – 5th), Joan May Maher (Dean – 5th) and various published and on-line sources; and programming and Blog wizardry by Joseph M. May (Joseph H.- #2).