William Burk "Bill" May

William Burk “Bill” May of Raleigh died on April 25th 2024 after being in declining health since 2002 due to nephritis and the effects of shingles and arthritis.

He was born in New Castle, Indiana, on May 29, 1933, to Horace Wilbur (Bill) and Thelma (Franklin) May. He graduated from Hagerstown, Indiana, High School, and from Ball State Teachers College now University.

He married Carolyn Bell of Richmond, Indiana, on June 30, 1956. They lived in Hagerstown until moving to Richmond in 1958, and then to Raleigh in 2006, to be near their son, Paul, and his family.

Bill was employed by Perfect Circle Corporation, which was acquired by Dana Corporation, for 33 years. He also retired from Pony Express Carrier Corporation. He was a member of Elks Lodge 649 and Golf Club for 30 years, and he played golf regularly there and in Raleigh through 2017.

He was an Indiana high school boys’ basketball official for 23 years and worked in the state finals tournaments in 1972, 73, and 74, in the era of one- class basketball. He compiled and wrote a book, Tourney Time, about his experiences and his thoughts on basketball today. It also listed the score of every Indiana boy’s tournament game, from the beginning in 1911 through 2005. He updated the scores every year through 2017. He attended the boy's final tournaments for 70 consecutive years, the last in 2017. He volunteered at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and was active in several other civic organizations.

He strongly encouraged and supported Carolyn, their sons and their wives, and their grandchildren and all their activities, and he was proud of their grandchildren being inducted into the National Honor Society at Roseville High School and graduations from UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University.

Survivors besides Carolyn, our son, John William May (Denise) of Hurricane, West Virginia; Son, Paul David May (Tami) and twin grandchildren, Aaron William May and Kylee Nicole May of Morrisville; sister, Linda May French of Portsmouth NH; 2 nieces; sister- in law, Marolyn  DeSalle of Navarre, Florida. 

Arrangements in the care of Bright Funeral Home.