Fountain Howard May Sr.

Fountain Howard May Sr. QUINCY - Fountain Howard May Sr., 87, a nurseryman, passed away Tuesday, June 12, 2007. He went peacefully after a couple of days of being sick with pneumonia. Services will be at 11 a.m. EDT Friday, June 15, at the First Presbyterian Church, Quincy. Visitation will be at the Fellowship Hall at the church from 10 a.m. until the service. Interment will be at the Old Philadelphia Cemetery. Charles McClellan Funeral Home in Quincy (850-627-7677) is handling arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to Carolyn B. May Scholarship Fund, R.F. Munroe Day School, 91 Old Mt. Pleasant Road Quincy, FL 32352. Fount was born October 17,1919, at the family home in Gadsden County. His parents were Fountain Hollaman May and Lawson Howard May. He graduated from Quincy High School in 1937, and he attended the University of Florida, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he served in the intelligence branch. During this time he met and married Carolyn Bailey Brinson of Monticello, Florida. From this union of 63 years they had three children: Fountain Howard May Jr., Martha Brinson (May) Sapp and John Bradford May. When he returned home to Quincy from the service, he joined the family business of May Tobacco Company growing shade tobacco with his brother, Don May Sr., and his uncle, Fred May. In 1971, after 26 years as tobacco farmers. Fount and Don converted one of their tobacco farms into a four (4) acre container nursery. To quote "Papa," "That was the happiest day of my life...", although the argument could be made that the happiest day of his life was the day he married Carolyn "MaMay" Brinson. While active in May Nursery. he was a member of IPPS, he served as president of the FNGA (1980), AAN board of Governors (1979-1982), president of SNA (1987) and ambassador for the Florida Agriculture Hall of Fame. Fount was also an avid gardener. He had one of the most beautiful gardens in Quincy. His yard is a picture of perfection with roses, azaleas, dogwood, hydrangea, plumbago, agapanthus, caladiums and many more shrubs and perennials. At age 87 he still did most of his own "yard work." He even had a new hydrangea ready to be planted now. He was a strong Christian and an elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Quincy. He was a family man. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Carolyn; his three children, Fount Jr. (and wife Beth), daughter Martha Sapp (and husband Bill) and Brad (and wife Crystle); eight grandchildren, Ashley May (and wife Beth and their son, David) of Quincy), Carolyn Sapp Mclntosh (and husband Josh) of Savannah, Ga. (who are expecting their first child), Richard May (and wife Melissa and their daughter, Lawre Bradley) of Quincy, Marcelle May Rhodes (and husband Billy and their daughter, Georgia) of Tallahassee, Hunter Sapp (and wife Lee Anne) of Atlanta, Ga., and Elizabeth May, Andrew Sapp and John Bradford May, all of Quincy; sister-in-law, Addie Belle May of Quincy; and brothers-in-law, Dr. Jack Brinson (and wife Joyce) and Bailey Brinson (and wife Beulah), both of Monticello. He was preceded in death by his brother, Don May Sr., and sister, Lawson May Curry Griffin. "He was a gentleman and a friend with an outgoing personality and a great sense of humor. He taught us how to love, he taught us how to laugh, he taught us how to choose our spouses, and he taught us how to be good citizens and strong Christians."