Karlheinz "Karl" May

Karlheinz "Karl" May passed away unexpectedly at the age of 83 on Wednesday, April 29, 2015, in Tucson, Arizona. Born on March 18, 1932 in New York City, he spent his early childhood there and in Pforzheim, Germany, before moving to his family's farm near Albany, New York. He was preceded in death by his parents, Karl Friedrich Hermann and Martha (Krafft) and his brother, Herman Eugen. He is survived by his wife, Susan (Kirby); his sons, Karl (Robin) of Menlo Park, California, and Eric of Tucson; his granddaughters, Allison, Laura and Corinne; his stepchildren, Jessica Matthew, Timothy and Tina Clark; his nephew, Konrad May and nieces, Christine Lendrum, Barbara McDermott, and Judie and Michelle Quintana; and his beloved Weimaraner Ilse. He earned his BS degree in Geology, two Masters degrees and was completing his doctoral work when he suffered a stroke in 1968. He served in the United States and Royal Air Forces during the Korean conflict. For thirty years, he served in various capacities at the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind, including as the Assistant Superintendent and taught at the University of Arizona. In his retirement, he pursued his passions of woodworking and classical music, continued his devotion to science and worked with the University of Arizona's Desert Legume Project and also served as a mentor/counselor to prostate cancer sufferers at the Arizona Cancer Center. A Celebration of his life will be held on Friday, May 15, 2015, at 2:00 p.m. at the Tohono Chul Park at 7366 N. Paseo del Norte in Tucson. In lieu of flowers, please join the family in making a donation to the Desert Legume Project, c/o Matt Johnson, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 2120 E. Allen Road, Tucson, AZ 85719 and/or the University of Arizona Medical Foundation, c/o Theresa Alcoverde, Fund #3154, 1501 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson, AZ 85724. Arrangements by CARRILLO'S TUCSON MORTUARY.