Janet Norbeth May

1930 - 2015

Janet Norbeth Knecht May

Janet Norbeth Knecht May passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Friday, November 6th.

Janet was born in Tower City, Pa. in 1930 and lived an adventurous life. She spent much of her life in Hudson, Ohio, but she traveled extensively in Europe and the U.S. She especially enjoyed her trips to Sweden to visit her sister and nieces, Norbeth and Lisbeth. She spent several of her later years in Pompano Beach, Florida with her daughter, Rebecca, and she most recently lived in Cincinnati with her daughter, Marybeth.

A teacher for 33 years, she received her bachelor's degree from Gettysburg College, and later earned a Master's degree equivalent. She spent her career teaching advanced English at Streetsboro High School, where she was the chair of the English department, and advisor for the yearbook, student newspaper, literary magazine and the Academic Challenge team. She guided many students from this rural community on a path toward college and later success. For many years, she was also the chief negotiator for the Streetsboro Education Association, eventually winning for the teachers some of the first and most generous benefits in all of northeastern Ohio.

She was a lifelong, enthusiastic Democrat, working passionately to advocate for the underdogs. Janet was kind and compassionate, opening her home to friends, family, and those in need. She loved to entertain and throw a great party! Her favorite activities were spending time with her grandchildren, creatively beating them at Scrabble, and catching up with her Hudson "coffee club."

Janet is survived by her children, Dr. James C. May (Natalie), Stephen W. May (Pamela), Marybeth May Taylor (Calvin) and Suzanne May Felix (Ron); her grandchildren, Maddie May, Justin, Matt and Casey May; Ian (Cassie) Yost; Brian (Jaime), Molly, Tim and Hannah Taylor; Ted and Ben Felix; great-grandchildren, Sam and Caroline Yost; and best friends for life, Louise Nahas and Lois Oxenrider. She also treasured her close relationships with her May family "brothers and sisters" and her nieces and nephews.

Janet was pre-deceased by her daughter, Rebecca May Yost Johnson; her sister, Evelyn Elizabeth Knecht Hansson; her brother, Frederick V. Knecht; and her parents, William K. and Agnes N. Knecht.

A Memorial Mass will be held on Tuesday, December 29, 2015, at 11 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, 340 N. Main Street, Hudson, OH 44236. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Change the World RVA, P.O. Box 3562, Richmond, VA 23235, a nonprofit organization that helps homeless teenagers succeed in high school and college, (www.changetheworldrva.org) or Richmond Behavioral Health Foundation, 107 South 5th Street, Richmond, VA 23219, which supports services for people with behavioral health challenges and intellectual disabilities, (www.rbha.org/support).