Grant Arthur May, 76, of Longview, died April 28, 2010.
He was born July 2, 1933, in Ryderwood, the youngest of six children of Archie C. and Erma LaRue (Call) May.
Bud graduated from Ryderwood High School in 1951 and later attended Lower Columbia Junior College through early 1954.
He married Betty Eaton of Castle Rock April 16, 1954. She died after 51 years of marriage, all but two spent in Castle Rock. Bud married Loralee Minyard of Ryderwood Nov. 17, 2007, and the couple established their home in Longview.
He served in the Army for two years before his honorable discharge in December of 1956. Within days he landed the job of his dreams when then-Longview Daily News Publisher John McClelland Jr., hired him as a reporter assigned to cover police, courts, sports and general assignments.
Bud loved the work and developed great respect for the police, jailers, courthouse workers, teachers, coaches, athletes and public officials he had the pleasure of working with.
One of his greatest pleasures was hosting the May family picnic, initially held at a sister's home near Winlock but later moved to Ryderwood Park and usually attended by up to 80 men, woman and children. He still thought of himself as young until relatives began to refer to him as the family patriarch.
Bud thrived on volunteer work, including membership in the Castle Rock Exhibit Hall Society, of which he served as president twice. He also served in the Kelso Kiwanis Club and the Cowlitz County Police and Firefighters Disability Retirement Board.
He was a life member of the Glen Hoyer American Legion Post 175 in Castle Rock and was a member of the Legion's Honor Guard, a group that provides a rifle squad, the playing of taps and presentation of the American Flag to widows or families of deceased veterans.
Bud was a Castle Rock Civil Service Commissioner for a number of years and also served on various other local boards, commissions and committees. He was a reading tutor at Castle Rock Elementary School for 11 years.
He attended hundreds of high school football and basketball games, tournaments and other sports activities over the years. He was a member of the Castle Rock Sports Hall of Fame. Bud was an avid fan of the Washington Huskies and was a Seattle Seahawks season ticket holder for 30 years.
He joined the YMCA in 1998 and made many friends in the weight room and in the 10 a.m. water aerobics class.
Bud is survived by his widow, Loralee; two sons, Mark (Patty) May of Longview and Brian May of Santa Clara, Calif.; a stepdaughter, Janine Alborn (Phil) of Bellevue; a stepson, Tim Minyard of Seattle; two sisters, Laverna Oikari of Seattle and Lorraine Bays of Long Beach; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Bud was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Dana Sebastian; a sister, Bernice Hill formerly of Winlock; and two brothers, Robert May formerly of Seoul, Korea and Leon (Tug) May formerly of Centralia.
A celebration of Bud's life will be held at 1:30 p.m. May 7 at Calvary Community Church in Longview.
Persons wishing to offer expressions of sympathy are invited to contribute to the Community Home Health & Hospice, P.O. Box 2067, Longview, WA 98632 or the Castle Rock Exhibit Hall Society, P.O. Box 721, Castle Rock, WA 98611.
Arrangements are by Columbia Funeral Service.
Please sign the guest book at www.tdn.com/obits.
This obituary was originally published in The Daily News (Longview, WA).
