John R. May

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John May Obituary

MAY May, John R. A resident of Baton Rouge, he died Saturday, December 21, 2013 at 11:40 p.m. surrounded by his children. He was 82 and a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He was an Alumni Professor of English and Religious Studies, Emeritus at LSU. Prior to his time at LSU he served God and his community as a Jesuit Priest. He was a beloved scholastic to his students of Jesuit High School. His career at LSU lasted from 1976 to 2012 during which he taught courses in religion, literature and film and served as chairman of the English department. He received his Ph.D. in literature and religion from Emory University and authored and edited several books on religious symbolism in film and American literature. He will be remembered as a kind spiritual man who gave freely of his time in the service of his family and friends. Wearing a perpetual smile, he guided many on their journey through the difficulties of the human experience. He was a devoted husband, father, and brother. He was known lovingly to many as "DaddyJack". He will be dearly missed. He is survived by his sons, John D. May and Charles Taylor Walet, III; a daughter Jan W. Keller; and 8 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Janet P. May; parents, Henry G. and Corinne Sbisa May and Lutille Pomarede Santana; a brother, Col. Donald F. May, USMC; and a daughter Julie W. Poyadou. In lieu of flowers, the family gratefully requests donations to the Baton Rouge Food Bank, www.brfoodbank.org, for those who wish to honor Jack in this way. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Mass in the Chapel of Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., Thursday, December 26, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. Visitation will begin at 11:00 a.m. until service time. Interment will follow in Metairie Cemetery. Please view and sign the Family Guestbook, at www.lakelawnmetairie.com.

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Published by The Times-Picayune from Dec. 23 to Dec. 25, 2013.

Memories and Condolences
for John May

13 Entries

Edward Dupuy

January 17, 2014

I was saddened to hear the news of Jack's death. He and Janet had always been strong supporters of me and my work, and we laughed together on many occasions. He introduced me to the work of William F. Lynch, among others, and thus helped shape my thinking about literature and its intersections with religion and philosophy.

I am grateful to him, also, for his mentoring me through the rigors of grad school at LSU and, later, my entry into the academic work place.

What a fine and holy man!

Mark LaFlaur

January 14, 2014

I am saddened by the news of Jack's death (through his friend and neighbor, Tania Nyman), but grateful that I got to see him as recently as early November when he and his son John (and Tania) came to my reading at the Louisiana Book Festival. What a delight to see Jack again! He was greatly saddened by the loss of his beloved Janet some years before, but his cheerfulness and kindness were as warm as ever.

I first met him in 1985 when I was in graduate school at LSU, and he was the genial chair of the English Department, always smiling and welcoming. He found some money for the printing of a modest publication by students in Andrei Codresu's essays & reviews class, The In-Patient Review (2 issues, 1985). We became friends, and in the early to mid 90s, Jack and Janet invited me to stay at their house a few times when I was visiting from New York. I think the last time I saw Janet May was in 2001, shortly before I moved from N.O. back to NYC, when I introduced my fiancée, Janet Cameron, to Jack and Janet.

It is good to see all the expressions of affection and admiration for Daddy Jack, Johnny May, etc. He was kind and warm and will live on with us all, and in his writings and teachings on literature and film and religion.

January 8, 2014

I just got the sad jnews of Dr, May's passing today via the LSU English department's Facebook. I knew him fron the time he was supervisor of graduate assistants in the late 1970s until the present. I felt he looked out for my welfare. He was a fine person. My deepest sympathy to his family.

Mary Clare Carruth, PhD

john desmond

January 8, 2014

Jack May was a wonderful friend and mentor to me. We met in the 1970's, and he helped me spend a sabbatical year at LSU, helped my family find a place to live and schools to attend, and generally took us under his and Janet's wings.
Beyond that, he was a fine scholar of religion and Southern literature whose penetrating insights helped shape my thinking for many years. Ever loyal, he would attend my conference presentation over the years, as I attended his when I was able.
More than all that, he was a saintly person who always embodied the command to go the extra mile for others. In addition, he had a genial spirit and a wonderful sense of humor.
We will miss him. Rest in peace, old friend.

December 28, 2013

My condoleances to the children, relatives and friends of my esteemed colleague. With my deepest sympathy.

Adelaide Russo

Paul Graham

December 28, 2013

Dr. Jack May was a person whom all others should seek to emulate. As long as I'd known him, it was clear that he had lived as an example of academic excellence and perfect human kindness. He was a driving force for molding me and, I'm sure, countless others into responsible, deep-thinking scholars. With Jack, a student could be sure to evolve and move through the cloistered halls of theory and polemical discussion, while not losing sight of the joys of film, literature, and the real reasons why we were drawn to the humanities in the first place.
More importantly, he was a good man. I'd come to count on his smiling face, his kind words, and his wisdom to brighten up the corridors of Allen Hall whenever I went in for his advice. I was also inspired by the dedication he showed his family when I was his student and afterwards. The slide show at his services reminded me of those days and made me truly grateful that I had known him. Thinking about Jack and talking with my colleagues from the English Department about his life was truly uplifting, despite the reasons why we were there. He will be missed. But the fond memories I have of him will serve to inspire me in my work and in my life from here on out.

Stella Nesanovich

December 26, 2013

Jack was on my dissertation committee years ago and an enormous help in my early years of teaching. I remember when he first arrived at LSU and was head of Freshman English, long before he would take over the chairmanship of the entire department. He was a delightful, wonderful man, a dear friend and brilliant scholar. I am deeply saddened to learn of his death. I send my condolences to his children and family. Rest in peace, dear friend.

Gerald May

December 26, 2013

Our condolences on the passing of Daddy Jack. He is the first cousin of Julie May Carrigee , James G. May, and Geraldine May Davis. His father Henry Greve and our father Louis M. May were brothers.

Carlos de la Cruz, S.J.

December 25, 2013

Jack was my "spiritual father", as we used to call in those years the priests that helped us on our spiritual journey. That was the time I was a Jesuit scholastic at Spring Hill College. Jack was a kind and compassionate man. I remember him fondly.

Jack Roniger

December 25, 2013

Jack May officiated at my own wedding and my brother Dick's as well. He was an inspiration to me and I continue to.consider him a major force in my own direction and growth. His sense of humor is forever memorable as well.

December 25, 2013

Johnny May was my junior year teacher at Jesuit High School in 1957-1958. We addressed him as Mr May but as classmates he was Johnny May. This was a moniker of respect and admiration. I loved my days at Jesuit and Johnny May was one of my most loved teachers and memories.

You have my sympathy but please know that I have thought of Johnny May fondly over the years.

Ken Adolph

Boyd E. Helm, M.D.

December 25, 2013

Today is Christmas Day
and what a Christmas For Jack being both with Jesus and with dear Janet!

I shall greatly miss my Jesuit High teacher, my patient and my friend.

I shall keep Jack and his entire family in my prayers.

August Schwartz

December 24, 2013

Jack was a loving extension of our Burvant / Pomarede family. He was everpresent as a brother in the early lives of Shirley and Bob Burvant, Urban and Don Pfefferle. We enjoyed him as a brilliant Jesuit, a loving brother and uncle; and in his perfect union with Janet. He and Janet never stopped smiling together, their union is one of incredible love and devotion, an example to all. Jack, you are missed dearly; our love, prayers, and thoughts are with his children and family.

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