Gerald Sylvester May
December 31, 1921 ~ April 16, 2010
Gerald Sylvester May, 88, of Cedar Rapids, passed away April 16, 2010 at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids. Funeral Mass: 10:30 a.m. Monday, April 19, 2010, at St. Matthew Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, by Rev. Mark Osterhaus. Visitation: 4-7 p.m. Sunday at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids, with a vigil service at 6 p.m. Burial: Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, following the mass. Survivors include his two daughters, Linda May Fitzgerald of Cedar Falls and Janice (John) Chrystal of Center Point; and three sons, Richard (Jeanne) May of Phoenix, Arizona, Steven (Kelly) May of Minnetonka, Minnesota and Jeffrey May of Cedar Rapids; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by Rita, his wife of 56 years; his parents, George and Frances May; his brothers, Orville, Leon, Ronald and Harry; and sisters, Nita, Aileen, Mona, Doris and Clare. Gerald was born on December 31, 1921, in New Albin, Iowa. He attended Loras College, was a US Navy Aviation radioman during World War II from 1942-1946, and graduated from the University of Iowa in 1947. He married Rita Schulte on June 30, 1947, at St. Patrick Church in Waukon, Iowa. Gerald retired as a fiscal officer from East Central Iowa Area Crime Commission. Gerald played baseball for New Albin High School and Loras College, and was a faithful Cubs and Iowa Hawkeye fan. A memorial fund has been established in his name.
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Jerry & Rita were such good neighbors. We will always appreciate their friendliness & the chats over the fence. Our sincere sympathy to all of you. We will keep all of you in our prayers. Take care.
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That is a nice picture of your dad. He was a great guy and will be thought of often fondly by our family. When John and I were kids your dad gave us each a sailor hat (I lost mine down in the islands and I remember I felt so bad when it was lost.)
He will be missed.
Linda,
I am so sorry to hear about your father. If there is anything I can do, let me know.
We will surely miss Jerry and all of his stories. Many times my husband Jerry would go to visit while I was cooking supper. Supper would be ready and he was gone for quite awhile. Finnally after it was overdone cooking I would ask what happened to him and he would say that Gerald had some stories to tell him. That was what he was good at. Telling a story. I know Jeff will miss him as well as the rest of the family. May he be in the hands of the lord and back home with Rita. The neighborhood will miss him.
I have many fond memories of our visits to cedar rapids. Grandpa may always had a story to tell and was very generous with his love and hospitality.
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