Major William Hodge May, USMCR

June 29, 1922 - October 27, 2021

William Hodge May (Bill), age 99, passed away on the morning of October 27, 2021, at his residence in Tallahassee. William was born on the family farm in Denham, Mississippi, to Ira Hodge and Velma Dean May. Shortly after, the family moved to Meridian, Mississippi, where he and his younger brother, Ira T. May, now deceased, lived until they were adults. Mr. May attended high school and junior college in Meridian where he studied architecture. He loved sports and fought in Golden Gloves boxing. He met his sweetheart Evelyn McArthur and planned for his future. This was all interrupted by the advent of WWII. He enlisted in the Navy, became an officer, and trained as a Marine pilot. Before he left for combat in the Pacific, he married Evelyn. As a torpedo bomber pilot in the Pacific, he was highly decorated and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross seven times and the Air Medal Strike/Flight Award 23 times. He was recalled to duty during the Korean War as well. Major William H. May honorably separated from the USMC in 1956 to begin his post war life. As a civilian, William studied to become an aeronautical engineer, but with a young family and the inconsistent arrival of G.I. Bill payments he left his studies and went to work for the newly established Federal Aviation Agency. He had a very successful career that took him and his family to many destinations before he retired and eventually settled in Tallahassee. William loved his family dearly, had many friends and was active in the Episcopal Church. He loved his beautiful wife Evelyn and the USMC tremendously, but it was Evelyn that was his “everything” and that love lasted 78 years. In his retirement he enjoyed his hobbies of sailing, golf and building things in his shop. William is survived by his wife, Evelyn; his children, Martha (Lanny) Larson, Gerald (Roxanne Taylor) May, and Janice (Jim Hernandez) May; his grandchildren, Briggs May, Dinorah Larson and Thad Larson; and great grandchildren, Seth Larson, Ariani Harris and Tucker Harris; and enjoyed a special relationship with his nieces, Anna Penelopy Owen Dudley and Sharon Turcotte and nephew, Edwin Owen. A funeral service for William will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Advent of Tallahassee, Florida on Monday, November 8th at 2:00PM. He will be interred at a later time in Semmes Cemetery in Meridian Mississippi. In lieu of flowers donations are requested for Grace Mission, or Echo. Breanna Green of Bevis Funeral Home is assisting the family with their arrangements. (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com)